Boston Bruins vs St. Louis Blues Picks and Predictions for Thursday, October 29, 2026

Two home games, zero goals. That's how St. Louis enters Thursday's matchup with Boston after getting shut out by Carolina and Montreal. The Bruins have had better luck finding the net, although Carolina held them to one goal Tuesday in a 2-1 defeat. Boston remains atop the Atlantic Division at 9-3-1 with 19 points. St. Louis is sixth in the Central at 5-6-1 with 11 points. The teams meet at Enterprise Center, where the Blues are 3-2-1 this season. The game starts at at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN+. See our free NHL picks for more hockey coverage.

Boston Bruins Have Been Scoring in Bunches

Boston's last five games have included two six-goal nights, a shutout victory and a couple of narrow losses. The Bruins beat Nashville 6-0 and San Jose 6-4 at home before losing 2-1 in Carolina on Tuesday. Earlier, they defeated Los Angeles 4-1 but fell 3-2 in overtime at Dallas. Boston hasn't been getting the same amount of offense every night, but there's been enough to keep it near the top of the league. The Bruins have 49 goals through 13 games, with only 28 going into their own net.

The goalies deserve plenty of credit for that start. Jeremy Swayman has a 7-2-1 record and has allowed 2.19 goals per game, stopping 92.1% of the shots he faces. Michael DiPietro has played three times and posted a .941 save percentage, along with two wins. At the other end, David Pastrnak has accounted for seven goals and 11 assists. Elias Lindholm has 11 points of his own, and Fraser Minten has scored five times. Boston is also converting 22% of its power plays, with Pastrnak scoring three of those goals.

Injuries: No injuries listed.

St. Louis Blues Need to End Their Goal Drought

Remember the six goals St. Louis scored against Vegas last Thursday? The Blues would gladly take even a couple of those against Boston. Since beating Vegas 6-2, they've lost 4-0 to Carolina and 2-0 to Montreal. Both shutouts happened at Enterprise Center. St. Louis had also edged Winnipeg 2-1 before the Vegas game, so there were signs of improvement before the scoring disappeared. The Blues have won only twice in their last five outings, and another difficult opponent is coming to town.

Mason McTavish and Jimmy Snuggerud have done their share of the scoring, each finding the net six times. McTavish has 10 points, matching Dylan Holloway, who leads the Blues with seven assists. St. Louis averages 28.1 shots per game but scores only 2.92 goals. Joel Hofer has been the better option in net, carrying a 4-3-1 record and .917 save percentage. Jordan Binnington's numbers haven't been encouraging. He's won once in four appearances, allowing 4.11 goals per game with a .845 save percentage.

Injuries: Ross Johnston, Torey Krug, Dillon Dube, Tyler Tucker and Logan Mailloux are out.

Key To The Game

Boston takes fewer shots than St. Louis but has scored 14 more goals this season. That puts pressure on the Blues to make better use of their chances, particularly after going scoreless twice. Hofer would give St. Louis its stronger goaltending numbers, although a starter hasn't been confirmed. Boston's power play is another concern, converting 22% of its opportunities. The Blues have killed 84.4% of penalties, so staying disciplined could help them keep the game close. McTavish and Snuggerud need to get involved early.

Boston Bruins vs St. Louis Blues Game Pick

• Boston Bruins

I'd have a hard time trusting St. Louis right now, especially against a team with Boston's scoring options. The Blues have gone two games without a goal, while the Bruins recently scored six in consecutive victories. Pastrnak is producing, and Swayman has been excellent whenever he's needed. Hofer could keep St. Louis within reach, but Boston has been better defensively, too. The Bruins have allowed 2.15 goals per game compared with the Blues' 3.08. I expect Boston to recover from Tuesday's defeat and win on the road.

Boston Bruins vs St. Louis Blues Over/Under Pick

• Under

St. Louis has scored only eight goals in its last four games, with six coming against Vegas. That leaves very little production from the other three outings. Boston's goalies have been difficult to beat, and the Bruins just played a 2-1 game against Carolina. St. Louis has also allowed only six goals across its last three contests, suggesting the Blues could keep things relatively close if Hofer starts. Boston has the stronger offense, but I don't see St. Louis contributing much to the scoreboard. I'm taking the under in Thursday's matchup.