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The Rangers and Kings meet in Los Angeles on Tuesday! The Rangers are playing solid hockey but are visiting a buzz saw in the Kings and will need to come out swinging if they have a chance against the Rangers. We continue our NHL odds series with a Rangers-Kings prediction and pick.
The New York Rangers are playing solid hockey this season. They are 34-31-6 and just broke a three-game losing streak. Artemi Panarin has been the best player this season, but they have a lot of depth, thanks to Adam Fox, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck behind him. This would be a giant win if the Rangers could pull off the win against the Kings in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Kings are playing great hockey this season, with a 39-21-9 record. Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar are difference-makers on the team, but the Kings also have depth across their roster. The Kings have a lot of depth, which will be the difference in this game against the Rangers. They have the pieces to do it, especially at home against a team as inconsistent as the Rangers.
Here are the Rangers-Kings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Rangers-Kings Odds
New York Rangers: +1.5 (-205)
Moneyline: +134
Los Angeles Kings: -1.5 (+160)
Moneyline: -162
Over: 5.5 (-102)
Under: 5.5 (-120)
How To Watch Rangers vs Kings
Time: 10:30 pm ET/7:30 pm PT
TV: ESPN+/MSG Networks/FanDuel Sports Network West
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Rangers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Rangers' offense is ranked near the top half of the NHL this season and has been a solid unit overall. They score 2.99 goals per game, have an 18.3% power play percentage, and have a 10.5% shooting percentage.
This team has gone as Panarin goes as he goes, and he has carried the team when needed this season. He leads the team in points at 75 and in goals with 31 goals. Fox is the leader in assists this season, with 46 in the year. Zibanejad and Trocheck are two players who have also made a significant impact on this Rangers offense.
The Rangers' offense is a strength, but they face a buzzsaw defense in Los Angeles. The Rangers should find some success, but this defense is excellent, and it will be a massive challenge in this game.
The Rangers' defense has been worse this season than their offense. They allow 3.00 goals per game and have a 90.4% save percentage.
The defense comes down to how well Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are playing goalie in any game for the Rangers. Shesterkin has 24 wins, 25 losses, and four overtime losses through 53 games. He allows 2.81 goals per game with a 90.7% save percentage. Then, Quick has nine wins, six losses, and two overtime losses through 21 games. He allows 3.14 goals per game and has an 89.6% save percentage.
This defense has been unimpressive, but the Kings don't have a dominant offense to take complete advantage of this matchup. They might be able to find some success, but it's not a matchup that should scare the Rangers.
Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
On offense, the Kings have been around the middle of the pack in the NHL this season. They score 2.93 goals per game, have a power play percentage of 15.7%, and have a shooting percentage of 10.5%.
The best two players on this team are Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar. Kempe is the leading points scorer and goal leader, leading the Kings with 58 points and 29, respectively. Kopitar is also the assists leader, with 38 on the season. Kempe also has 29 assists, but Kopitar has only 18 goals this season.
These two have been the majority of the Kings' offense. They should be able to control the offense and score on the Rangers because New York doesn't have a defense.
The Kings' defense has been elite this year. They allow 2.52 goals per game and have a 90.6% save percentage. The defense relies on Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich at goalie this season. Kuemper has 24 wins, nine losses, and seven overtime losses through 41 games. He allows 2.13 goals per game with a 91.8% save percentage. Rittich has 14 wins, 11 losses, and two overtime losses. He also allows 2.72 goals per game with an 89% save percentage.
This defense has been elite and will cause the Rangers many issues. It is a difference-maker in this matchup against an offense as good as the Rangers.
Final Rangers-Kings Prediction & Pick
The Rangers have the talent on offense to give the Kings fits, but Los Angeles should win. Still, the talent keeps the Rangers in it, and they should cover this game against the Kings. Los Angeles wins a very close match.
Final Rangers-Kings Prediction & Pick: New York Rangers +1.5 (-205)
