The Los Angeles Kings will travel to Missouri to face the St. Louis Blues. It will be a clash at the Enterprise Center as we continue our NHL odds series and make a Kings-Blues prediction and pick.
The Blues lead the head-to-head series with 114 wins, while the Kings have 88 wins, with the other 22 games resulting in a tie. Yet, the teams have split the past 10 games. This will be the first time the Kings face the Blues this season and also the first of three games in eight days, with games at Crypto on Wednesday and next Saturday.
Here are the Kings-Blues NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Kings-Blues Odds
Los Angeles Kings: -1.5 (+220)
Moneyline: -114
St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-280)
Moneyline: -105
Over: 5.5 (-110)
Under: 5.5 (-110)
How To Watch Kings vs Blues
Time: ET/PT
TV: KCAL 9, ESPN+ and FDSM
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Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
Drew Doughty suffered another injury and might miss this game as he deals with a lower-body injury. Unfortunately, this is another setback for the Kings as they attempt to cement themselves into a playoff spot while also staying healthy. To get there, the Kings might need an offensive upgrade to give themselves a power boost. In the meantime, the Kings still pack some punch and players who can make a difference.
Adrian Kempe has netted 26 goals and 23 assists, including four powerplay conversions. Meanwhile, Anze Kopitar has added 13 goals and 33 assists, including three powerplay markers, while being a wizard in the faceoff circle, with 621 wins and just 481 losses. Kevin Fiala continues to produce, as he has potted 15 goals and 38 assists. Likewise, Quintin Byfield has added 11 goals and 23 assists.
Despite how good these players are, there is still work to do. The Kings are just 24th in goals and 23rd in assists. Likewise, they are 17th in shooting percentage and a horrid 29th on the powerplay.
With Darcy Kuemper starting on Friday, David Rittich gets the start for this one in the second end of a back-to-back. Rittich is 12-11-2 with a 2.60 goals-against average with a save percentage of .888. He plays behind a defense that is second in goals against and sixth on the penalty kill.
The Kings will cover the spread if their top two lines can find some skating room and get some good-quality shots at the net. Then, they must continue to play tough defense and take the good angles away from the Blues.
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blues insist they are not selling, even as they meander through the season, with the playoffs within sight, as they trail the Vancouver Canucks by three points for the final wildcard playoff spot. Ultimately, they have done solid work this season to stay alive in the playoff race. It has not always translated to great results, but they do have players who can score some goals.
Robert Thomas is at the heart of that offense as he has netted 16 goals and 32 assists. Additionally, he has been good in the faceoff circle, winning 532 draws and losing 401. Jordan Kyrou has tallied 24 goals and 23 assists, including six powerplay conversions. Meanwhile, Dylan Holloway has added 18 goals and 25 assists, while Pavel Buchnevich has contributed with 12 goals and 29 assists.
These players play for an offense that is just 21st in goals and 19th in assists. Furthermore, they are 16th in shooting percentage and 23rd on the powerplay.
Jordan Binnington has attracted a lot of attention and remains one of the stronger goalies in the league even with his inconsistent play. So far, Binnington is 17-19-4 with a 2.82 goals-against average and a save percentage of .899. He plays behind a defense that is 19th in goals against and 28th on the penalty kill.
The Blues will cover the spread if the offense can generate some scoring chances. Then, the defense cannot allow the Kings to get chances past the blue line.
Final Kings-Blues Prediction & Pick
The Kings are 29-27 against the spread, while the Blues are 33-26 against the spread. Moreover, the Kings are 16-15 against the spread on the road, while the Blues are 16-15 against the spread at home. The Kings are 22-31-3 against the over/under, while the Blues are 24-31-3 against the over/under.
These teams are incredibly similar. Ultimately, both struggle to score often. I think that will happen again. Don’t expect much scoring as the Kings and Blues check each other and don’t allow much room for maneuverability. This will result in a close and low-scoring game. The under will hit in this game, with one team winning 3-2.
Final Kings-Blues Prediction & Pick: Under 5.5 (-110)
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