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The Los Angeles Kings will head down the Interstate-5 Freeway to face the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday at the Honda Center. It's time for the Freeway Faceoff as we share our NHL odds series and make a Kings-Ducks prediction and pick.
The Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Thursday at the Bell Centre. Initially, it was a 1-1 tie before the Kings broke the tie in the second period and never looked back.
The Ducks fell 4-3 in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday at Ball Arena. After going up 2-0, the Ducks surrendered three consecutive goals before forcing overtime with a late goal. But the Ducks could not stop Nathan MacKinnon and fell short despite a heroic effort from Lukas Dostal.
Here are the Kings-Ducks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Kings-Ducks Odds
Los Angeles Kings: -1.5 (+146)
Moneyline: -170
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +140
Over: 6.5 (+112)
Under: 6.5 (-138)
How To Watch Kings vs Ducks
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: NHL Network, Victory +, KCOP, and Bally Sports West
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Kevin Fiala has 16 goals and eight assists over 25 games against the Ducks.
- Adrian Kempe has 15 goals, 14 assists, and a plus-minus of +5 over 33 games against the Ducks.
- Kempe has seven goals and 10 assists with a plus-minus of +6 over the past 10 games against the Ducks.
The Kings are inconsistent on defense so far this season. Initially, things went well as they allowed just three goals over the first two games. But the Kings collapsed against the Ottawa Senators, allowing eight goals. Then, they allowed six against the Toronto Maple Leafs. While they bounced back against the Canadiens, the defense still looked shaky, and it may get worse with Darcy Kuemper out for a little while. Therefore, David Rittich will look to give the Kings their best chance.
The offense has been solid, ranking 11th in goals and 12th in shooting percentage. Yet, the Kings also rank 16th on the powerplay, illustrating their ability to convert with the man advantage.
Anze Kopitar has been great, with three goals and four assists. Meanwhile, Kempe has generated two goals and three assists. Fiala has tallied three goals and one assist. Likewise, Brandt Clarke has distributed four helpers.
The Kings will cover the spread if they can swat the puck away from the Ducks and play tight defense. Then, they must convert their scoring chances and mount pressure on the Ducks.
Why the Ducks Could Cover the Spread/Win
- Trevor Zegras has five goals and four assists with a plus-minus of +3 over 14 games against the Kings.
- Dostal is 1-1 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a save percentage 0f .938 over two games against the Kings.
- Troy Terry has three goals and four assists over 10 games against the Kings.
Dostal was brilliant against the Avalanche, making 45 saves in a heartbreaking overtime loss. Therefore, he now will come into this ga,e with a record of 2-0-1 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a save percentage of ,927. While Dostal played his heart out, the defense let him down. Too often, they were not quick enough to the puck and surrendered a massive possession advantage to the Avalanche. The Ducks also repeatedly turned the puck over, allowing the Avalanche to stick around in their zone too often.
The offense has been dreadful, ranking 24th in goals. Yet, they have been average in shooting the puck, ranking 16th in shooting percentage. The Ducks also still do not have a powerplay goal, as they have been too tentative on skating the puck past the blue line and firing shots, opting for that unnecessary pass instead of taking their shot.
Troy Terry has been the best scorer, notching three goals. Likewise, Leo Carlsson has tallied two goals and one assist. But the Ducks need more from Trevor Zegras, who has one goal and one assist, and Mason McTavish, who has two assists.
The Ducks will cover the spread if they can maintain possession of the puck and avoid spending too much time in their own zone. Then, the defense must tighten up to lessen the pressure off Dostal.
Final Kings-Ducks Prediction & Pick
The Kings are 3-2 against the spread, while the Ducks are 3-1 against the odds. Also, the Ducks are 1-0 against the spread at home, while the Kings have played all their games on the road.
The Kings won three of four against the Ducks, including one at Honda Center. However, the Ducks went 2-2 against the spread in the four games against the Kings. The Kings are 9-1 over the past 1o games against the Kings, including 4-1 over the past five at the Honda Center. Additionally, the Kings are 7-3 against the spread over the past 10 against the Ducks. But the Ducks have stayed competitive in all four of their games. Thus, I expect this to be close, with the Ducks covering the spread.
Final Kings-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-110)
