The set-up: The St. Louis Blues are hoping to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. After that, St. Louis embarks on its week-long league-mandated bye week. Scottrade Center has been kind to the Blues, who have won three straight and four of their last five games on their home ice, going 15-8-0 on the season. The Blues are 26-16-3 (55 points) on the season and sit just two points back of the first-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division. The Florida Panthers come to St. Louis only 17-18-6 on the season and the team's 40 points leaves them with seven teams owning more points, as teams vie for two Eastern Conference wild card spots.

Florida: The Panthers are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss at Columbus on Sunday night, as the shootout went eight rounds. "It was a good point," Panthers head coach Bob Boughner told NHL.com. "It was a hard-fought point against a real good hockey club. Both teams had good goaltending. We've just got to take this and move on." However, it was Florida's third straight loss and the Panthers check in at 7-12-3 on the road this season. The Panthers are searching for some consistency, after splitting their last 12 games. The Florida averages 2.71 goals per game (23rd) and convert on just 15.9 percent of its power play opportunities. Defensively, the Panthers are allowing 3.17 goals per game (25th), while their goaltenders, the now injured Roberto Luongo and James Reimer, have faced the most shots on goal (35.4 per game) of any goaltending team in the league.

St. Louis: The Blues were playing at an elite level when forward Jaden Schwartz got hurt (he had 14 goals with 21 assists in 30 games). St. Louis recently got good news on the injury front as Schwartz is no longer on crutches or a walking boot. He was placed on IR after taking a puck off of his foot Dec. 9 at Detroit. However, it doesn't mean a return is close, but according to Blues coach Mike Yeo it does mean he's on schedule. The team said Schwartz will be re-evaluated in six weeks at the time of the injury. The Blues have struggled without Schwartz (6-8-1) and this weekend's games at Philadelphia and Washington, both losses, was the first time the Blues had scored three goals in regulation in back-to-back games without him.

The pick: The Panthers beat the Blues 5-2 at Florida on Oct. 12 but St. Louis is 8-3-0 in its last 11 games against Florida. The Panthers are just 9-23 in their last 32 road games and 3-9 in their last 12 vs. Western Conference opponents. Meanwhile, the Blues are 20-9 in their last 29 vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Blues have beaten up on losing teams for quite awhile now, going 22-8 in their last 30 vs. a team with a losing record. With Luongo out, James Reimer will make his 15th consecutive start and as noted above, the Panthers are just allowing too many shots against their goaltenders. Make St. Louis an 8* play.