Welcome back to another edition of NHL Predictions here at Last Word On Hockey! Everyday, we provide analysis, insights, and predictions for key games around the NHL. Today, the St. Louis Blues return home after a five-game road trip for another interconference matchup, this time against the Ottawa Senators.
NHL Predictions: Ottawa Senators vs St. Louis Blues
Time: 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
How to Watch TV: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, TSN5, RDSI
2024-2025 Season Series: Tied 1-1-0
2025-2026 Season Series: 0-0-0
American Thanksgiving is now behind us and there is a full slate of NHL games today. The Blues have a rare matinee matchup at home, and it is a big one..
St. Louis returns home after a five game, Eastern Conference road trip. Most teams that come home saying they only had one regulation loss in five games would be flying high. Unfortunately, three of the five games were dropped in overtime or a shootout on that trip. So out of a possible ten points to earn, the Blues return with less than half the points they hoped for.
Just a few years back, these two teams were trending in very different directions. When St. Louis won the cup in the 2018-2019 season, Ottawa finished with an abysmal 64 points and dead last in the NHL. Now, fast forward to the 2025-2026 season. With just about 25 games played for each team, Ottawa is two points out of first place in the NHL’s Atlantic Division and three back of first in the entire Eastern Conference. The Blues however, sit just three points above being last in the league overall.
The Surging Senators
Ottawa is a young and hungry hockey club. In the last decade, they have drafted incredibly well. With names like Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson establishing a name for themselves upfront, Ottawa has a rock solid young core that is going to carry this momentum for years to come.
Every good general manager knows that the locker room needs a couple of grizzled veterans to not only keep the ‘kids’ in line, but also help navigate the ebbs and flows of the NHL season. Sens GM Steve Staios has added excellent veteran pieces such as Claude Giroux and David Perron to his puzzle. Perron is a Stanley Cup winner near the end of his career. Giroux is probably most recognizable for his leadership abilities on and off the ice, even more so playing near his hometown. These investments are now starting pay out in Ottawa.
Tonight’s game is the fifth of seven on the road for Ottawa. So far, they have worked their way through the west coast, gathering wins in Anaheim, San Jose, and most recently in a shootout Wednesday night against Vegas (4-3). To put that in perspective, Ottawa has more points in four games of their seven on the road than the Blues did on their entire recent five-game trek.
Home Cooking
Something has to happen for the Blues, and fast. Rumours are swirling around this time like we haven’t seen … well since right before the trade deadline the year they won the cup.
This time there is no coaching change that we can see coming. No rookie goaltender is coming up to save the day and rattle off 24 wins in the last few months of the season. Could this two game back-to-back with the Blues be the last time we see some of the big names wearing the note? GM Doug Armstrong is no stranger to making deals, and with the trade winds blowing, an answer has to come quickly.
When you watch the Blues, it’s hard to point to one specific problem. This month, despite the record, goaltending has been great. In reality, if it wasn’t for Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington down the stretch of that road trip, the Blues would have returned with a lot less than five points. But here’s the thing. The Blues don’t really have any trouble scoring goals. As a matter of fact, they have scored first in nine of their last 10. The issue is continuing to play after they score. The Blues have surrendered leads, oftentimes multiple goal leads, in games where they carried the play, played the right way, and ultimately should have won. And that’s a team issue, not just one or two players.
Prediction:
Ottawa is looking to keep on humming. That said, they did surrender a 3-1 lead to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday before recovering in a shootout. Head coach Travis Green is going to be looking for his team to overcome mistakes and adversity a bit better as they wind up the road trip. The Senators started this road trip without their captain and St. Louis native Brady Tkachuk said he recovered from a broken thumb. He’s back, and where he is from, St. Louis. That is where Keith Tkachuk was playing when Brady and brother Matthew Tkachuk were growing up. What a time for a return.
The Blues defencemen have been incredibly active in joining in the offensive rushes. If Justin Faulk and Philip Broberg continue to produce consistently for St. Louis, it could certainly help turn their season around. With a little more coming from the forwards, this team could right the ship. But only time will tell if the struggling Blues will stay afloat or sink down closer to that first overall draft pick in June.
Prediction: Ottawa wins 4-2.
Prop Bets:
With an over/under of 5.5 goals scored so with a prediction of a Senators 4-2 win, we are taking the over at -124. For Blues offence, Jake Neighbours has been playing fantastic hockey since returning from injury and it’s only a matter of time he finds himself back in the goal column. We’ll take Neighbours to have a goal anytime at +280. For Ottawa, we are going a bit off the grid and we’re going to take David Perron with a goal in his return to St. Louis at +480!
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions; some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
The post NHL Predictions: November 28th Ottawa Senators vs St. Louis Blues appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.