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There are just three games on the NHL slate on April Fool's Day, and there's a big one regarding the Western Conference wild-card chase as the St. Louis Blues visit the Los Angeles Kings with a 9 p.m. ET puck drop to conclude the season series. The winner still may not make the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the loser is in major jeopardy. 

Doesn't it seem like midseason coaching changes in the NHL work better than in the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball in terms of a team turning its fortunes around? The Blues are one fairly recent extreme example of that, as when they won their only Stanley Cup in the 2018-19 season, it came after a midseason coaching change from Mike Yeo to Craig Berube (now with Toronto and sure to be fired after this season).

Today is April 1 and the Kings fired coach Jim Hiller on March 1, when they were sitting 24-21-14, fifth in the Pacific Division and three points out of a West wild-card spot. Hiller was replaced for the rest of this season by former assistant and former Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith.

The Kings got a bit of a "new coach bump" right off the bat but have since plateaued and are 5-5-4 under Smith, sit fourth in the Pacific and one point out of the final WC spot currently held by Nashville. To reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fifth straight year – it lost in Round 1 each of the previous four – Los Angeles is +125 with No at -150.

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I think I would take Yes because of all the talent on the roster, especially after acquiring All-Star forward Artemi Panarin via trade from the Rangers, but the Kings better win tonight to continue a season-long seven-game home-stand.

If L.A. can win four of those, it would in good shape entering a season-ending three-game trip to Seattle, Vancouver and Calgary, as all three could be eliminated from playoff contention by then. The Canucks already have been, and the Flames are close. 

If the Kings do miss the playoffs, look at the 10-17-8 record on home ice, one season after going an NHL-best 31-6-4 at home. Truly baffling. Only the playoff-eliminated Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers have been worse at home.

"I don't know what it is," Smith said. "Last year we couldn't lose here. Right now, we don't lose very much on the road. That's in your head. People say it's luck. You make your own luck."

In addition, the season-ending injury suffered by winger Kevin Fiala (40 points) in the Olympics was a big blow. But L.A. is well-rested entering this one, having last played on Saturday and getting slapped by Utah. It was the Kings' most one-sided loss in more than a month. Not a good start to the team's longest home-stand in 15 years.

While that game obviously didn't go past regulation, that has been a problem for Los Angeles, as 18 of its losses have come in either overtime or a shootout. Only the 2011-12 Florida Panthers have lost that many games since the shootout was adopted 21 years ago. If L.A. had won even half those games, it would be contending for the Pacific title.

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St. Louis opened a four-game trip with a 5-4 loss in San Jose on Monday to see a four-game winning streak snapped and to fall to 13-19-4 away. Crushing not to get a point as the Sharks scored the winner with 22 seconds left in regulation, their latest go-ahead goal in seven years.

The Blues have 73 points, four out of the West's final WC spot and are +2000 for extra hockey. They must get two points tonight. I don't see extra hockey happening, but they have found a future All-Star in rookie winger Jimmy Snuggerud. He led all rookies in the NHL in the month of March with four goals, nine points and a +8 rating on the road.  They try to avoid the season sweep to the Kings, losing the first two in St. Louis by a goal each. 

Darcy Kuemper won both in net for L.A., allowing five goals on 47 shots, and should be in there tonight. Although it is the front of a B2B so maybe it's Anton Forsberg. The two have pretty similar numbers overall. 

Likely Joel Hofer for the Blues, and he has stolen the No. 1 job from Jordan Binnington, who was Team Canada's top goalie in the Olympics. Binnington played well in Italy but hasn't in the NHL this season. Hofer was terrific in March at 6-1-2 with a 1.73 GAA and two shutouts. He allowed four goals in a Jan. 24 loss to L.A.  

Blues-Kings BetRivers same-game parlay (-125)

  • Blues +1.5
  • Alt Under 7

If the game finishes 4-3 in overtime in favor of the Kings, obviously the total would push and that leg would fall off and we would win a little on St. Louis ATS. And the Blues have earned points in seven of their last nine road games. They are more desperate tonight and earned points in 12 of 14 March games overall. Check out other expert picks in the daily newsletter.