St. Louis Blues Face Off Against Florida Panthers in Crucial NHL Matchup

The St. Louis Blues are set to face off against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers, in a highly anticipated NHL matchup on Friday, December 20, 2024. The game will take place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, with a start time of 7 PM ET/4 PM PT.

The Blues are coming off a tough loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, where they fell 3-1 despite outshooting the Lightning 32-18 and winning 56% of faceoffs. Despite the loss, the team is showing signs of improvement, with forward Pavel Buchnevich netting his ninth goal of the season and reflecting positively on the team’s performance. ‘Yeah, we’re starting to build something,’ Buchnevich said. ‘We feel it every game; we’re getting a little bit better, getting a little bit more consistent. Obviously frustrated with the result, but there’s definitely some positives to look at.’

The Panthers, on the other hand, are riding a two-game win streak, having defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 and the Minnesota Wild 6-1. Forward Matthew Tkachuk has been instrumental in these victories, scoring two goals in each game. The Panthers’ recent performances have highlighted their resilience and ability to bounce back from setbacks, such as being shut out in Vancouver and Calgary earlier in their five-game road trip.

Historically, the Blues have had the upper hand against the Panthers, winning four of their last five matchups. However, this season’s matchup promises to be different, with both teams showing significant improvements in their respective lineups. The Panthers’ strong offense, led by forward Sam Reinhart who leads the team in goals (20), assists (22), and points (42), will be a challenge for the Blues’ defense.

The odds for the game favor the Panthers, with Florida listed as a -305 favorite and St. Louis at +245. The over/under is set at 5.5 goals, suggesting that this could be an explosive offensive matchup.