NHL Game Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning (29-13-3) vs. St. Louis Blues (18-21-8)

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The Tampa Bay Lightning (29-13-3) face the St. Louis Blues (18-21-8) in an interconference matchup at Enterprise Center. Riding an NHL-best 11-game winning streak, the Lightning sit atop the Eastern Conference and aim to extend their dominance, while the Blues, mired in a three-game home skid before a recent shutout win, look to build momentum amid injuries. This is the third and final meeting this season, with Tampa Bay sweeping the first two (4-1 on Dec. 22, 2025, and 3-1 on Dec. 19, 2025). Expect a defensive battle, with Lightning goaltending potentially overwhelming St. Louis’ depleted offense.

Venue Location

Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri. This 18,096-capacity arena is the Blues’ home, known for its passionate fans and strong acoustics.

Puckdrop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. CT). The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

Recent Team Forms

The Lightning are 10-0-0 in their last 10 games, on an 11-game win streak with elite offense and goaltending. Recent wins include a 2-1 SO at PIT (Jan. 13), 5-1 vs. PHI (Jan. 12), 7-2 at PHI (Jan. 10), 4-2 vs. COL (Jan. 6), and 7-3 at SJS (Jan. 3). They’ve averaged 4.5 GPG while allowing ~2.0, with strong special teams (25% PP, ~85% PK).

The Blues are 3-6-1 in their last 10, showing defensive improvements but offensive struggles. They snapped a three-game skid with a 3-0 shutout vs. CAR (Jan. 13) but lost 4-2 at VGK (Jan. 10) and 4-2 at UTA (Jan. 9). Averaging ~2.2 GPG and allowing ~3.4, they’ve leaned on goaltending in wins but falter in high-shot games.

TeamLast 10 RecordAvg. GPG (Last 10)Avg. GA (Last 10)Key Trend
Lightning10-0-0~4.5~2.011-game win streak; dominant road play (7-0-0 lately); elite PP efficiency.
Blues3-6-1~2.2~3.4Snapped skid with shutout; poor home form (1-4-1 in last 6); rebound after losses but inconsistent offense. 953wdae.iheart.com +10

Injury Report

Injuries could limit scoring, favoring unders.

Lightning Key Injuries:

Brayden Point (C): Out (lower body) – Week-to-week; major offensive loss.

Ryan McDonagh (D): Out (undisclosed) – IR; defensive depth hit.

Victor Hedman (D): Out (elbow) – IR; expected back February; blue-line anchor absent.

Scott Sabourin (RW): Out (undisclosed) – IR; minimal impact.

Emil Lilleberg (D): Out (undisclosed) – IR; young defender sidelined.

Blues Key Injuries:

Robert Thomas (C): Out (lower body) – IR; re-evaluated in two weeks; team points leader (33 points) missing.

Mathieu Joseph (RW): Out (elbow) – IR; speed forward absent.

Dylan Holloway (LW): Out (ankle) – IR; young contributor sidelined.

Pius Suter (C): Out (ankle) – IR; depth center out.

Philip Broberg (D): Day-to-day (concussion) – Practiced; could play but uncertain.

With Point and Thomas out, both offenses rely on depth; Lightning’s streak continues despite absences.

Key

Player Matchups

Injuries force reliance on stars like Kucherov and Kyrou in this potential low-scoring tilt:

Nikita Kucherov (Lightning RW) vs. Jordan Kyrou (Blues C): Kucherov’s scoring (high usage, 1.2 PPG recently) tests Kyrou’s speed (0.45 GPG). Kucherov’s multi-point streaks could exploit Blues’ injuries.

Jake Guentzel (Lightning LW) vs. Pavel Buchnevich (Blues RW): Guentzel’s playmaking faces Buchnevich’s two-way game. Buchnevich’s recent contributions could counter if Thomas’ absence shifts lines.

Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning G) vs. Jordan Binnington (Blues G): Vasilevskiy (.930 SV% lately) in a bounce-back spot vs. Binnington’s home edge (.905 SV%). Vasilevskiy’s workload could shine against Blues’ low shots.

Bench Battle: Brandon Hagel/Lightning reserves vs. Jake Neighbours/Blues depth: Hagel’s energy vs. Neighbours’ goals (~0.3 GPG). Lightning’s streak depth could overwhelm Blues’ injured lineup.

Series History

The Blues lead the all-time series 31-20-3-2, with a 20-5-3 home edge. However, the Lightning have won 7 of the last 10 overall, including both this season (4-1 and 3-1). Tampa Bay is 5-3-2 in their last 10 visits to Enterprise Center. Overs have hit in 5 of the last 10 matchups.

Betting Trends

Puck Line: Lightning are 22-23 ATS overall, 12-12 as road favorites. Blues are 20-27 ATS, 10-13 as home underdogs.

Moneyline: Tampa Bay wins ~65% as favorites; St. Louis ~40% as underdogs.

Over/Under: Lightning games hit over in 25 of 45 (56%); Blues in 22 of 47 (47%). Recent trends: Overs in 7 of Lightning’s last 10; unders in 6 of Blues’ last 10 home games.

Other Trends: Lightning 10-0 ATS in last 10; Blues cover 45% after wins. Tampa Bay 8-2 ATS vs. Central teams; overs in 50% of recent head-to-heads.

Game Odds

Tampa Bay Lightning      – 192

St. Louis Blues                   5.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, January 15, 2026

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