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Blues vs. Blackhawks Prediction, Picks & Odds: Winter Classic 2024

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: December 31, 2024 6:04 AM EST • 2 min 54 sec read.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard skates with the puck during a practice session prior to the Winter Classic as we offer our Blues vs. Blackhawks prediction for the 2024 Winter Classic.
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard skates with the puck during a practice session prior to the Winter Classic. Photo by Daniel Bartel via Imagn Images

You'll be able to watch hockey the way it was intended Tuesday when the Chicago Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on an outdoor rink at Wrigley Field for the 2024 Winter Classic (5 p.m. ET, TNT). 

The Winter Classic is the only time that discussing how the weather will impact an NHL contest won't elicit hairy eyeballs from anyone within earshot of the conversation.

On that note, it will be about 36 degrees Fahrenheit with six mph winds (gusting to 22 mph) and a 40% chance of mixed precipitation when the puck drops.

While I don't expect the weather to impact proceedings in silo, there are other compounding factors influencing my decision to back Under 5.5 goals in the following Blues vs. Blackhawks prediction. 

Today's Blues vs. Blackhawks prediction

Odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

My best pick: Under 5.5 goals ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: | Implied probability: 53.49%

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Nobody will mistake either team for a high-powered offensive juggernaut.

The Blackhawks scored more than three goals in just three of their last 15 games, including once in the previous six. Since head coach Anders Sorensen took the reins, Chicago has netted more than three goals in three of 11 contests. 

They've scored the sixth-fewest goals per game since Dec. 1 (2.57) and have the third-fewest expected goals (65.29).

St. Louis Blues' Under trend

Jim Montgomery immediately recognized the Blues' need for defensive improvement if his new team intended to push for a playoff spot. Since he took charge, St. Louis has allowed the ninth-fewest goals per game (2.56). Beforehand, they conceded the eighth most (3.36).  

Six of their last nine road contests had five or fewer goals, including four in a row entering Tuesday's Winter Classic. Six of their previous eight games hit the Under on 5.5 goals.  

The Blues aren't quite as anemic offensively as the Blackhawks. However, St. Louis also struggles to light the lamp, scoring more than two goals in three of the previous eight. 

Goals are usually at a premium in Winter Classics 

While these teams don't need any further excuses for their offensive inadequacies, the Winter Classic provides them on a silver platter. 

First, the ice usually isn't spectacular for these bombastic marketing showcases. In fact, many Winter Classics are about as choppy as the ocean directly under a Category-5 hurricane. The less-than-perfect playing surface isn't conducive to high-scoring affairs. 

The wind and possible sleet in Chicago isn't a recipe for sleek offensive performances either.

Nine of the last 13 Winter Classics, including the previous two, had five or fewer goals. There's always a chance for the dreaded 4-2 score, but I'm taking my chances on a nail-biting, scrappy, defensive slugfest. A winning $10 bet will profit $8.70.

Blues vs. Blackhawks player prop pick

NHL picks made Tuesday; odds subject to change.

Dylan Holloway prop pick: Over 2.5 shots ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +130 via Betway | Implied probability: 43.48%

Holloway has fired at least three shots in four straight games. If you go back further, he has hit the Over on this prop in 10 of the last 17 contests. 

While those numbers are encouraging, I'm most impressed by Holloway's output in enemy rinks, where he has registered at least three shots on goal in 10 of the last 13. If that's not enough, his plus-money odds offer a little extra glimmer on an already shimmering pick. A winning $10 bet will profit $13. 

Blues vs. Blackhawks live odds & info

  • When: Tuesday, Dec. 31
  • Puck drop: 5 p.m. ET
  • Where: Wrigley Field (Chicago)
  • How to watch: TNT, Sportsnet
  • Weather: 36 degrees, 16 mph winds, 40% chance of mixed precipitation
  • Favorite: Blues (-140 via Betway)

Blues vs. Blackhawks injuries

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Written By:
Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.