Kings vs Blues NHL Spread/Handicapping
Defending Champs Look to Seize Control in Game 5
The Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues have each held serve so far in the playoffs – each winning their two games at home. Their series moves back to St. Louis Wednesday night where the Blues have won eight straight games while allowing just one goal in each.
Bet On NHL Hockey Today at One of our top online sportsbooks!!!
Los Angeles’s will be in deep Wednesday – not only has St. Louis been money at home but the Kings have lost eight straight on the road dating back to April of this year and were 8-12-4 away from home during the regular season. This quarter final series has all the makings of a classic – it would not be a surprise to see these teams return to St. Louis for Game 7.
Los Angeles Kings (29-17-2-4) at St. Louis Blues (31-19-1-1)
When: 9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Broadcast: CBC, CNBC, RDSI, FS-W, FS-MW
Series tied 2-2
Kings vs. Blues Betting Lines from betonline.com
Los Angeles Kings +1½ -290 +114 Ov 4½ -126
St Louis Blues -1½ +245 -126 Un 4½ +114
Check out our in-house NHL Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s NHL Picks Today!
The Los Angeles Kings looked to be in some trouble after two periods in Game 4 but a furious third secured the victory and the allowed them to head to St. Louis tied in the series. The Kings finally generated a patented forecheck and Anze Kopitar snapped an almost unfathomable 19 game goal scoring drought. The Kings scored more goals in Game 4 than they had combined in the series – everything went well!
Now the Kings move back to St. Louis where they scored just once in each of the first two games of the series. In fact they scored just once in three of the four games so far. There isn’t a whole lot of offense expected in Game 5 either – it will be up to Jonathan Quick as per usual to lead this team to victory.
Quick has been typically terrific in this series posting a 1.67 GAA and .941 save percentage. He has been harassed in a big way by the Blues forwards and not much is expected to change Wednesday night.
[ad-4437448]
The St. Louis Blues let one slip away in Game 4 and they maybe could have won Game 3 as well. But mistakes cost them in Game 4 particularly – something that is unlikely to repeat itself on home ice in Game 5. It is also unlikely that Brian Elliot has an “off-game” like he did in Game 4. He allowed four goals Monday – something that hasn’t happened since February! He is 2-2-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .935 save percentage so far in the series and is matching Jonathan Quick save-for-save.
Offensively, the Blues, like the Kings don’t have any hot players but they do have some players that will enter Game 5 in slumps. Alex Steen is pointless in three games and Andy McDonald and Jordan Leopold have failed to register a point in any game this series.
Betting Prediction
A few trends to consider:
• LA are 0-8 in their last 8 road games.
• Under is 14-3-4 in LA last 21 Wed. games.
• LA are 14-5 in their last 19 Wed. games.
• Under is 19-4-3 in STL last 26 overall.
• Under is 15-4-2 in STL last 21 home games.
• STL are 14-5 in their last 19 overall.
• LA are 10-2 in the last 12 meetings.
• Under is 11-5-2 in the last 18 meetings.
The LA Kings were looking like the anemic offensive Kings of a year ago before Monday night’s game but they benefitted largely from some uncharacteristically poor performances by a host of Blues players. St. Louis will tighten up their game and on home ice, where they have won eight straight. I like them to hold serve. It’s simple – St. Louis is money at home – LA has been terrible on the road. The home team has won all four games thus far – don’t expect that trend to change!
Pick: St. Louis Blues -126
