A pivotal matchup on the ice is surely to be an entertaining one as the Los Angeles Kings take on the Chicago Blackhawks in the Windy City! Join us for our NHL odds series where our Kings-Blackhawks prediction and pick will be revealed.

Despite losing two of their last three games, it would be foolish to say that Los Angeles isn't a playoff contender out west at this given time. Overall, the Kings are 33-21-11 with a total of 77 points on the season which puts them in third place within the Pacific Division.

Arguably enough, the Blackhawks have been in full-blown rebuild mode for several seasons now, but they are quickly putting together the pieces to contend in a few years. On paper, Chicago is 18-43-5 and holds a 13-17-4 record within the confines of their home arena. With a surplus of young talent, don't count out these Blackhawks to compete in this one!

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Kings-Blackhawks Odds

Los Angeles Kings: -1.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -285

Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +230

Over: 5.5 (-124)

Under: 5.5 (+102)

How to Watch Kings vs. Blackhawks

Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT

TV: ESPN+

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Kings Will Cover The Spread/Win

Despite being heavy favorites in this inter-conference duel, the Kings must do everything in their power to come storming out of the locker room with a whole lot of energy. If they don't, then trouble could end up brewing!

As with human nature, it wouldn't be surprising if the Kings took the Blackhawks for granted, but with finding themselves in such a tight race in the Western Conference, LA cannot afford to take any sort of opponent for granted.

At the end of the day, it will be vital for Los Angeles to grab an advantage in the form of a suffocating defensive assault that makes life extremely difficult for offenses. As a matter of fact, LA is allowing teams to score only 2.60 goals per game and has proven that that side of the ice is clearly their bread and butter. Furthermore, the Kings excel at killing off opposing power plays as they are thwarting 86.5% of extra-man opportunities. If the Kings stand strong on the defensive end of things, then they will most likely be in fairly good shape barring a no-show effort from the offense.

In-between the pipes is projected to be Cam Talbot who is experiencing a rock-solid regular season. Ranking near the top ten of qualifying goalies in the majority of NHL categories, it may be up to Talbot to make a statement by stonewalling the Blackhawks.

Why The Blackhawks Will Cover The Spread/Win

Surely, there aren't many folks who are putting their money on the Blackhawks to make this a game, but in the wild sport of hockey, it is important to expect the unexpected!

Oftentimes in this league, all it takes a couple of fortunate bounces to grab the upper hand, and while Chicago will no doubt be keeping their fingers crossed that they endure some luck prior to St. Patrick's Day, they will also need to execute to near perfection. This hasn't always been the case for this scuffling Blackhawks squad, but be on the lookout for Chicago to continue excelling in the goal-scoring department. Bafflingly enough, Chicago may be the hottest they've been all year long in terms of finding the back of the net. Over the course of their last two games, the ‘Hawks have been hotter than fish grease with a combined 14 goals over that span. As a result? Chicago has outscored its foes 14-6 during their mini two-game winning streak. While they lack experience, the talent is obviously evident!

Not to mention, Chicago is playing stupendously on the power-play attack. More specifically, in the 7-2 blowout victory over the Anaheim Ducks, the Blackhawks went a combined 4 for 6 when given the extra-man advantage. No matter what, when a team is this efficient in this category, it becomes extremely difficult not to come out triumphant. While it will be hard to replicate this type of success for a second consecutive outing, it is more than encouraging to see Chicago clicking on all cylinders offensively.

Final Kings-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick

Could Chicago be streaking? All season long, the Kings have been the better squad, but nothing can compare to a team that has been red-hot of late. While it remains to be seen whether or not the Blackhawks can win a third straight, they have an excellent shot to at the very least cover the spread.

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Final Kings-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Blackhawks +1.5 (-110)