Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
Where to watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports West, ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: NL
BetMGM: NL
Caesars: Blues -170, Kings +145
Season record
Kings: 1-2-0, 2 points
Blues: 3-0-0, 6 points
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Kings - Blues preview and analysis
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Kings: lost 2-1 at Predators on Tuesday
Blues: won 3-1 at Golden Knights on Wednesday
After doing something they've never done before, the St. Louis Blues finally get their home opener.
The undefeated Blues are off to a 3-0-0 start after beginning this season with three straight road games, all wins, all in different fashions.
Now they'll welcome a full house of fans to Enterprise Center for the first time this season as they host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
The Blues are coming off a 3-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday in which goalie Jordan Binnington had his best performance ever at T-Mobile Arena, stopping 42 of 43 shots, and outdueling Robin Lehner (35 saves).
"You have to win in different ways in this league," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "That's the thing I talked to our team in between periods, don't force things and don't get impatient because that's where you'll make mistakes."
While it should be good times for the Blues right now, it doesn't come without its adversity. Brandon Saad, who scored his first goal with St. Louis on Wednesday after signing a four-year contract with the Blues in the offseason, entered COVID-19 protocol and will miss Saturday's game.
The Blues will already be down forward Pavel Buchnevich, who is serving the second game of a two-game suspension for head-butting Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse on Monday.
Kyle Clifford will likely slide into the lineup to replace Saad. James Neal had already been brought in to replace Buchnevich.
The Kings come in having lost two straight after their season-opening 6-2 win over those same Golden Knights last Thursday. If you're walking down the streets of Los Angeles and see flames engulfing a human being, don't be alarmed. It's Anze Kopitar.
The Kings' captain scored his fifth goal in three games on Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to the Nashville Predators.
After scoring six against Vegas, the Kings have scored three in their past two games.
"That's a good learning lesson for us," Kings forward Phillip Danault said after the game. "We've got to push, and we've got to score more goals for sure. It will come. It's just a matter of time."
Prediction
Being down two top wingers is going to be a challenge for St. Louis. The home crowd should be up for this game, but I like the Kings in a close one. Binnington is normally known for having a clunker or two in his arsenal, and the Kings will bounce back in the right way. Kings win 4-2
Betting trends
The Blues are 22-9 after allowing one goal or fewer in their previous game.
The Blues are 24-12 off a road win in their last 36 following.
St. Louis is 19-11 in a game following a three-game winning streak.
Projected lines
Kings:
Viktor Arvidsson -- Anze Kopitar -- Dustin Brown
Adrian Kempe -- Phillip Danault -- Alex Iafallo
Carl Grundstrom -- Blake Lizotte -- Rasmus Kupari
Arthur Kaliyev -- Gabriel Vilardi -- Trevor Moore
Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty
Alexander Edler -- Sean Walker
Tobias Bjornfot -- Matt Roy
Cal Petersen
Blues:
Kyle Clifford -- Ryan O'Reilly -- David Perron
Jordan Kyrou -- Brayden Schenn -- Jake Neighbours
Ivan Barbashev -- Robert Thomas -- Vladimir Tarasenko
James Neal -- Tyler Bozak -- Klim Kostin
Marco Scandella -- Colton Parayko
Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk
Jake Walman -- Robert Bortuzzo
Jordan Binnington
Statistical leaders
Kings:
Points: Anze Kopitar -- 8
Goals: Anze Kopitar -- 5
Assists: Drew Doughty -- 6
TOI: Drew Doughty -- 24:44
Goalie: Cal Petersen -- 1-1-0, 2.04 GAA, .929 save percentage
Blues:
Points: Jordan Kyrou -- 7
Goals: Jordan Kyrou -- 2
Assists: Jordan Kyrou -- 5
TOI: Colton Parayko -- 25:46
Goalie: Jordan Binnington -- 3-0-0, 2.67 GAA, .921 save percentage
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