The Tampa Bay Lightning (6-5-4) and St. Louis Blues (7-5-1) will battle it out on the ice in Missouri for this upcoming showdown. The Lightning are slightly favored to win with a moneyline of -135.

The Lightning have lost their last two games and need to find consistency. Their previous defeat was a 4-0 shutout against the Carolina Hurricanes, where the Hurricanes scored in each period to consistently put themselves further ahead.

They have moved back a bit in the Atlantic Division, as they now hold down the fifth spot. Erik Cernak is day-to-day and might not be available for this matchup, which could slightly impact this game.

They are averaging 3.53 goals a game and take 30.1 shots a game. This is an aggressive approach to offense, which will likely help them in most cases against weaker teams.

However, their defense is allowing opposing teams to score 3.60 goals a game and giving up 33.2 shot attempts. While their offense might succeed in a lot of scenarios, they are not having the right amount of breathing room defensively.

The Blues have won their last two games and are aiming for the third in the comfort of their home. Their most recent triumph was an 8-2 blowout against the Colorado Avalanche, where the Blues finished the first period of play at 3-0.

Their recent success has allowed them to hover in the Central Division at fourth. Currently, no players are injured and they should have a full roster at play.

Their offense has spiked over their last five games, but they are averaging 2.77 goals a game this season. They are also firing off 28.3 shots a game, which will likely need to come up if they want to stay ahead of the Lightning.

Their defense is appealing, as they are allowing opponents to average just 2.69 goals on 32.5 shot attempts. This will be the most important aspect of the game, as they cannot allow the Lightning to land too many shot attempts.

The following NHL odds from MyBookie show that the Tampa Bay Lightning are slightly favored to win. This is an appealing opportunity, as both teams make a great case for victory.

The Lightning have had their issues lately when it comes to defending, as they have allowed none goals overall in their last two games. On top of that, they went scoreless in their last game and had three goals in the other. Look for the Blues to keep this close.