The Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings meet in an inter-conference battle. The Blue Jackets have cooled off after an excellent start to the season. While it didn't go as smoothly for the Kings, they fought through it. The Kings won five of their last six games against the Blue Jackets. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blue Jackets-Kings prediction and pick.
The Kings didn't have a promising start to the season, but they have figured out some of their shortcomings in recent games. They now hold an 8-4-3 record and are second in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles lost their last game against the Vancouver Canucks, but had won five of seven games before that result.
The Blue Jackets could be the most surprising team in the league after their successful start to the season. Columbus didn't have many expectations this season, but they've outperformed everyone's preseason predictions and sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division. It's unlikely they'll keep it going for the rest of the season, but it's an inspiring story after everything they've gone through over the past couple of years. The Blue Jackets have a tight-knit group, but the losses are starting to pile up after challenging games against the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals. Their third straight loss to the San Jose Sharks was a sign that things could be changing for Columbus.
Here are the Blue Jackets-Kings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blue Jackets-Kings Odds
Columbus Blue Jackets: +1.5 (-150)
Moneyline: +175
Los Angeles Kings: -1.5 (+125)
Moneyline: -210
Over: 6 (-125)
Under: 6 (+105
How To Watch Blue Jackets vs. Kings
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network, KCAL
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Blue Jackets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blue Jackets could win the goaltending matchup in this game, thanks to some good play from Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins has a 2-3-1 record but has been playing above average with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Merzlikins had 25 saves in their loss to the Sharks, but the team could not score more than one goal to get him the victory.
David Rittich and Darcy Kuemper haven't been thriving this season in Kuemper's inaugural season, with .884 and .900 save percentages, respectively. The Kings are doing an excellent job of suppressing shots, as their goals-against averages are looking fine. However, the Kings must be worried about the goaltenders' ability to stand up to an increased workload. The Blue Jackets are firing plenty of shots on goal, averaging 30.67 per game.
Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Blue Jackets are starting to fall apart after their excellent start to the season, and it won't get any easier against the Kings. Los Angeles has been good against Columbus over the last three seasons, winning five of those six matchups. They've won the last three games by a combined score of 13-5.
Final Blue Jackets-Kings Prediction & Pick
Columbus' start to the season was unsustainable, and this will be another challenging game for them in Los Angeles. The Blue Jackets are in the middle of a road trip that started poorly with the loss to the Capitals, then went even worse with a loss to the Sharks. It'll be challenging for them to get through the West Coast without taking another loss, and it should come in this game against Los Angeles.
Final Blue Jackets-Kings Prediction & Pick: Kings -1.5 (+125)
Follow Us
Subscribe
