Sunday, March 23, 12:00 PM on NHL, FSMW, ROOT

CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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One of the better games on the NHL Sunday slate is a matchup of two first place teams that almost have a combined 200 points in 2013/14. The Metropolitan leading Penguins hope to chase down Boston for home ice throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs while the Blues look to strengthen their stranglehold on home games all the way through the Stanley Cup Finals.

St. Louis could be skating on tired legs when they visit the Console Energy Center Sunday as it will be the 3rd game on a 4 game road stretch on a back to back scheduling. The Chicago-Philadelphia-Pittsburgh-Toronto gauntlet is one of the roughest 4 packs a team could go through on the season. Ryan Miller dropped only his second game since coming to the Blues in a 0-4 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. Even with that loss St. Louis has maintained their solid play all season by winning 8 of the last 10 games.

Pittsburgh is aiming to defend their solid 25-5-2 home ice record and snap a recent spell of poor play. The Penguins recently dropped 3 of 4 games in which they were favored including back to back defeats at the hand of rival Philadelphia. Pittsburgh will also be tired on Sunday because they'll be playing the second leg of a back to back schedule but they have the advantage of not having to fly from their home city.

The teams met in November in a hard fought game that St.Louis was able to pull out on their home ice 2-1. A Kevin Shattenkirk goal at 10:52 in the 3rd broke a 1-1 tie and pushed the hometown Blues to a -122 moneyline victory.

ATS Trends

St Louis is 22-13 straight up on the road this season

St Louis  is 11-18-6 against the over/under on the road this season

Pittsburgh is 25-7 straight up at home this season

Pittsburgh is 18-13-1 against the over/under at home this season

Injuries to Watch

St Louis 

03/19/14 LW Magnus Paajarvi Upper Body questionable
03/16/14 RW Vladimir Tarasenko Hand out indefinitely
02/28/14 D Jordan Leopold Ankle out indefinitely
01/16/14 RW Jamie Langenbrunner None has retired

Pittsburgh

12/23/13 RW Pascal Dupuis Knee out for season
02/25/14 RW Beau Bennett Wrist expected to miss 3-4 weeks
02/25/14 RW Chris Conner Foot out 4-6 weeks
02/21/14 D Paul Martin Hand expected to miss a month
02/07/14 D Kris Letang Heart out indefinitely

Josh's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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