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The Los Angeles Kings will head to the World's Most Famous Arena to face the New York Rangers. It's a 2014 Stanley Cup rematch as we share our NHL odds series and make a Kings-Rangers prediction and pick.
This will be the first meeting between the Kings and Rangers this season. Significantly, the teams split the series last season. The Kings and Rangers have split the last 10 games. Furthermore, the Rangers are 4-1 over the past five games against the Kings at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the Kings-Rangers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Kings-Rangers Odds
Los Angeles Kings: +1.5 (-260)
Moneyline: +100
New York Rangers: -1.5 (+205)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 5.5 (-114)
Under: 5.5 (-106)
How To Watch Kings vs Rangers
Time: 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
TV: ESPN+, MSG Network and FanDuel Sportswest.
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Kings Could Cover the Spread/Win
It's been 10 years since these teams met in the Stanley Cup, and the only remnants of that series are Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar. While Doughy is out until January, Kopitar remains on the squad and is still producing results.
There are times when the Kings have disappointed this season in many aspects, but Kopitar is not among them. So far, he leads the team with eight goals and 24 assists, including two snipes on the powerplay. Kopitar has also shined in the faceoff circle, winning 333 draws and losing 245. Meanwhile, Adrian Kempe has tallied 14 goals and 14 assists, including two conversions on the extra-man attack.
Alex Laferriere has had a great season. He has 12 goals and 10 assists, including four snipes on the powerplay. Meanwhile, Kevin Fiala has had a slow start to the season, racking up 10 goals and eight assists.
These players lead an offense that is just 19th in goals and 18th in assists. Yet, they are 12th in shooting percentage, showcasing how iffy the shooting has been. They also have struggled with the extra-man attack, ranking just 28th on the powerplay.
Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich have shared the crease for the Kings. After Keumper went on Tuesday, Rittich went on Thursday. Ultimately, Keumper likely starts in this game and comes in with a record of 6-2-3 with a 2.37 goals-against average and a save percentage of .907. He will play behind a defense that is 10th in goals against. Also, they have been stout at killing penalties, ranking second on the penalty kill.
The Kings will cover the spread if their forwards can set up some scoring chances and score first. Then, they must clamp down on defense and prevent the Rangers from getting shooting lanes.
Why the Rangers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Rangers finally got a good win, and Mika Zibanejad was blunt about how critical the win was for them. Unfortunately, they have been struggling over the last few weeks, including an ugly loss at home to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Artemi Panarin has been one of the few consistent players on the ice, notching 15 goals and 20 assists, including five conversions on the powerplay. Defenseman Adam Fox has one goal and 24 assists. Meanwhile, Will Cuylle has tallied 10 goals and 12 assists. Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have both struggled to put points on the board this season. Thus, one of them must step up.
These guys lead a struggling offense that is 16th in goals and 13th in assists. Additionally, the Rangers are only 19th in shooting percentage. The Kings have also had some mixed results on the extra-man attack, ranking 13th on the powerplay.
Igor Shesterkin will likely get the start on the net. So far, he is 10-10-1 with a 2,90 goals-against average with a save percentage of .911. He will play behind a defense that is 10th in goals against. Likewise, they play behind a group that is 13th on the penalty kill.
The Rangers will cover the spread if they can get some separation on the ice and find some shooting chances. Then, Shesterkin must make stops and the defense in front of him must play well.
Final Kings-Rangers Prediction & Pick
The Kings are 15-14 against the spread, while the Rangers are 10-18 against the odds. Moreover, the Kings are 8-8 against the spread on the road, while the Rangers are just 3-12 against the odds at Madison Square Garden. The Kings are 9-17-3 against the over/under, while the Rangers are 18-12-1 against the over/under.
The Kings have looked good this season. Conversely, the Rangers have looked awful. I can see this game being close to the very end. Consequently, the Rangers will make enough mistakes to keep the Kings in it. The Kings cover the spread on the road.
Final Kings-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Kings +1.5 (-260)
