The Vegas Golden Knights (21-11-12) and Los Angeles Kings (19-16-10) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EST at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Golden Knights are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (53-cents / 48-cents). The Golden Knights are a 53-cent favorite to win outright, while the Kings are 48-cents to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Golden Knights vs. Kings predictions and NHL picks.
Golden Knights vs. Kings Odds, Pick
- Golden Knights vs. Kings Spread: Golden Knights -1.5 (30-cents), Kings +1.5 (71-cents)
- Golden Knights vs. Kings Over/Under: 5.5 (53-cents / 48-cents)
- Golden Knights vs. Kings Moneyline: Golden Knights 53-cents, Kings 48-cents
Golden Knights vs. Kings Preview
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas is red hot.
After starting the season 0-1-1, the Golden Knights have won four straight games.
The tandem of Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner has continued to prove that it’s one of the best duos in hockey. Not only that, Captain Mark Stone is currently riding an eight-game point streak, one that includes seven points in the past three games.
Their 5-on-5 play has also been dynamite, including elite defense. Over the past two weeks, Vegas has been ranked fifth in expected goals with a 55.51 xGF%, along with the league’s best defense at 2.01 xGA/60.
But it’s not just the Knights’ 5-on-5 play that is dominant. Their special teams have been riding a high as well, ranking with the fourth-best power play, scoring at a 26.1% clip, while the penalty kill is eighth in the league at 82.1%.
What’s continued to be the Achilles heel for the Golden Knights has been their goaltending.
Adin Hill has been out since early November, but is gearing up for a Thursday return, and it looks like Akira Schmid starts tonight.
Schmid has been fine for what he is, mostly guarded by the Knights’ elite defense. The problem in his past 10 games, he’s played to a weak 0.8 GSAx.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have been the beacon of mediocrity all season.
And the fact that they’re the second-oldest team in the NHL doesn’t exactly help their cause. Most of their salary cap is covered by 35+ year olds in captain Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, so it’s hard to build a legitimate contender with those cap hits, and both are poor play drivers.
I get what the Kings are doing, as both were critical in helping the franchise achieve both of their Stanley Cups, but the time has come – there needs to be rebuilding.
There are a lot of positives here, though. Adrian Kempe is one of the league’s best goal scorers, and Quinton Byfield is playing at a high level as of late, with six points in as many games.
Not just that, I’ve been really encouraged by Alex Laferriere and Brandt Clarke, who are proving to be foundational players in the future of the Kings.
There is no word as of yet who starts in net for the Kings, but I’d anticipate that Darcy Kuemper starts. Kuemper gives the Kings the best chance to win over Anton Forsberg, and Forsberg played on Saturday.
Golden Knights vs. Kings Prediction
The moneyline odds are pretty close here, which makes sense, but I don’t think this is as close as Fanatics suggests.
Los Angeles has been playing a solid 5-on-5 game over the past two weeks, but Vegas has been clearly better.
The Kings also have the goaltender advantage, but their home record has me shying away from them.
I feel a lot more comfortable backing the Knights, who not only have one of the best trios in hockey but also a stifling defense.
Vegas also has the special teams advantage here. It ranks near the top in both the power play and penalty kill, while the Kings are in the bottom 10 in both, and ranking in the bottom 10 in penalty minutes, which doesn’t bode well for their penalty kill.
I like the Knights here.
Pick: Golden Knights ML (53-cents)
