Montreal Canadiens vs. Los Angeles Kings Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens opened a four-game western swing with Tuesday’s 3-1 win in San Jose, and have claimed victory in their six of their past nine overall. The Kings return home after closing out a six-game road trip with Tuesday’s narrow 6-5 win in Winnipeg, and will be gunning for a fourth straight victory on home ice.
The Kings return home as big favourites, sporting +256 on the NHL odds while the Canadiens lag as +212 underdogs. The total has held steady since opening at 6.5, with the UNDER emerging as -120 chalk.
Canadiens vs. Kings NHL Betting Odds
Thursday night’s matchup at Crypto.com Arena marks the second and final meeting of the season between these clubs. The Kings skated to a 4-2 victory when they visited Montreal back on December 10, and have now topped the Habs in six of eight head-to-head clashes. L.A. has also won five of seven against the Canadiens on home ice. Low scoring has been commonplace when these teams meet, with the total topping 6.0 just twice during a 6-3-3 run for the UNDER.
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens’ recent surge has been bad news for Montreal hockey fans hoping the team would continue to tank and earn a shot at drafting teen phenom Connor Bedard in this summer’s NHL Draft. The Habs have powered their current 6-3-0 run with steady defensive play, limiting opponents to two or fewer goals in each of their past three wins and surrendering just 2.89 goals per game during the 6-3-0 run.
The Habs have also been opportunistic on offence. The club overcame a 1-0 deficit with a third-period rally in Tuesday’s win over the Sharks, and have potted seven total goals in the final frame during their current three-game win streak on the road. Nick Suzuki has shaken off his recent slump while scoring three times and adding a pair of helpers during a four-game points streak. Goaltender Jake Allen has also been steady, holding opponents to two or fewer goals four times while going 4-1-0 over his past five starts.
Los Angeles Kings
The post-Jonathan Quick era begins. The Kings pulled the trigger this week on a deal that sent the Stanley Cup-winning veteran to Columbus for a package that includes netminder Joonas Korpisalo. However, it is looking like it will be Pheonix Copley guarding the cage for LA on Thursday.
Copley has taken on an increased workload since unexpectedly earning the backup job in Los Angeles, appearing in nine of the club’s past 14 contest. However, he has produced mixed results of late, allowing nine total goals over his past two starts after surrendering just five goals in the four prior to that. That reflects the club’s recent overall inconsistency, with Kings shooters tallying just nine total goals in the four outings prior to Tuesday’s 6-5 shootout win over the Jets. Anze Kopitar has remained a steady producer. The veteran centre scored four times Tuesday night and has tallied eight goals along with three assists in his past seven appearances.
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