Detroit's shot volume against St. Louis's goaltending: two losing teams meet

Two teams on three-game losing streaks meet in St. Louis, and their records are almost identical: Detroit is 7-8-3 and the Blues are 7-8-2. St. Louis won the most recent meeting 5-4 in Detroit on 2026-10-31. The central question is whether Detroit's territorial edge can overcome a weaker save rate and a poor penalty kill against a home team that converts its chances more often.

Detroit's shot share is 53.2%, rank 8, while St. Louis sits at 48.7%, rank 21. The Red Wings have been the better team at controlling shots. That has not become goals: Detroit scores 2.72 per game, rank 23, compared with 2.94 per game, rank 19, for the Blues. The finishing gap shows in shooting percentage, 9.1% for Detroit against 10.8% for St. Louis. Detroit's 0-4 loss at Colorado in its last game fits that pattern of volume without return.

The Blues have the better goaltending numbers. Their team save percentage is 89.9%, rank 9, and Detroit's is 88.6%, rank 21. Detroit does allow fewer goals per game, 3.11 at rank 11 against 3.12 at rank 12, so the defensive records are close. Special teams favor St. Louis on both sides. The Blues kill penalties at 84.4%, rank 7, and Detroit's penalty kill is 69%, rank 24. The Blues' power play is 22.4%, rank 12, and Detroit's is 21.7%, rank 15.

On the injury front, Dylan Larkin is on injured reserve for Detroit. Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton are both on injured reserve too, though each is expected back at some point during the Red Wings' four-game road trip. Nothing confirms either for tonight, so any return would be a late addition to the Detroit lineup. Both teams played three days ago, so rest is even.

The market sees St. Louis as the moderate favorite at -146, with Detroit at +123. The line is essentially unchanged from the open of -146 and +122. Support for the Blues is heavy: 87% of bets and 74% of money are on St. Louis, yet the price has stayed put. The puck line is Blues -1.5 at +171. The total is 5.5, unchanged, with the Over at -129 and the Under at +107. Both teams have gone under in their last three games, and the Blues' under run has come at home. That describes recent results, not a forecast. Detroit's games go past regulation 27.8% of the time, against 11.8% for St. Louis.

The evidence conflicts. Detroit's shot share points one way, while St. Louis's save percentage, shooting percentage and special teams point the other. With both teams losing and sitting near .500, the sample is modest and offers no clear separation. Neither team has confirmed a starting goalie, and John Gibson is day-to-day for Detroit.