Blues vs Kings Picks and Prediction – 3/9/2025

The St. Louis Blues (30-27-6) head to Crypto.com Arena to face the Los Angeles Kings (31-20-9) for the second time this week. The Blues took the last meeting in a 3-2 shootout win on March 5. St. Louis has won four of its last five, while the Kings have dropped five straight, including two to the Blues. Puck drop is set for 8:00 PM ET. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

St. Louis has been trending in the right direction, winning four of its last five, including two over Los Angeles. A big part of the success has come from offensive contributions by Robert Thomas, who leads the team with 51 points, and Jordan Kyrou, who has a team-high 24 goals. Special teams remain an issue, with a 19.0% power play and a penalty kill at just 70.7%. The Blues have managed to find ways to win despite ranking below average in goals per game (2.83) and shots per game (27.1).

Defensively, goaltending has been hit or miss. Jordan Binnington owns a 2.78 goals-against average (GAA) with a .899 save percentage, while backup Joel Hofer has similar numbers at 2.93 GAA and .899 SV%. St. Louis is allowing 2.98 goals per game and giving up 28.2 shots per contest. The penalty kill has struggled, allowing 44 power-play goals at a concerning 70.7% success rate. 

Los Angeles is on a tough skid, dropping five in a row, including back-to-back losses against the Blues. Adrian Kempe continues to lead the offense with 26 goals and 50 points, while Anze Kopitar has provided strong playmaking with 34 assists. The Kings have struggled to find scoring consistency, sitting at 2.80 goals per game with a power play at just 15.0%. They’re generating 28.0 shots per contest but have been unable to capitalize on chances.

Defensively, the Kings have been stronger, allowing only 2.65 goals per game while giving up just 25.6 shots per game. Darcy Kuemper (2.36 GAA, .912 SV%) has been reliable but is listed as day-to-day, which could force Los Angeles to lean on David Rittich (2.66 GAA, .889 SV%). The Kings’ penalty kill is a solid 81.2%, a major advantage over the Blues’ struggling unit. 

The Blues have dominated this season series, winning both recent matchups against the Kings, and are playing the best hockey in weeks. St. Louis has scored at least four goals in three of its last five games, while Los Angeles has struggled to generate offense during its five-game losing streak. Goaltending questions for the Kings, combined with key defensive injuries, give St. Louis the edge. Expect another tight contest, but the Blues should take this one. Final Score Prediction: St. Louis wins 3-2.