Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings Prediction, NHL Odds
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Nik Kowalski
Vancouver’s been playing some of their best hockey all season, coming in winners of seven of their last 10 outings. The run is still too little too late for the Canucks who remain in 12th in the West and over a dozen points back of the playoffs. But for L.A. the hockey is as meaningful as ever, as a win Saturday could have the Kings in first in the entire conference by night’s end.
Puck drop at Crypto.com Arena gets started at 10 p.m. EDT, with the home Kings a -180 moneyline favourite and the over-under at 6.5 on the NHL odds.
Canucks vs. Kings NHL Betting Odds
Despite L.A. fighting for first and the Canucks bound to miss the post-season, it’s been all Vancouver when these divisional foes clash. Vancouver is 8-0-2 in their last 10 meetings with L.A. while holding the Kings to under two goals per game. Saturday’s just the second of four meetings between these teams this season, and Vancouver took the first 4-1 on November 18.
When it comes to the total, the over in Canucks road games has been one of the NHL’s most prominent trends. It’s 25-7-1 in their 33 road games, including an 8-2 run in their last 10 outings away from home. But of course, the under is on a five-game win streak when it comes to Canucks–Kings battles.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver had a five-game snapped on Thursday, by Arizona of all teams. The 3-2 loss was Vancouver’s second defeat of the month. Thatcher Demko started his fourth straight game in net and made 24 saves in the loss. Andrei Kuzmenko and Elias Pettersson scored for the Canucks, who failed to capitalize on five power-play opportunites.
Kuzmenko now has a team-high 34 goals, while Pettersson added an assist to get to a team-high 85 points on the season. Kuzmenko now has goals in four consecutive outings and six goals this month. Pettersson has points in six straight, three of which being multi-point games.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings enter Saturday having won eight of their last 10 games. They last took the ice Thursday, defeating Columbus 4-1. The win was L.A.’s second straight and made them undefeated so far on a six-game home stand. L.A. hasn’t lost in regulation in nine home games.
L.A’s now yet to allow more than two goals in seven straight outings. Pheonix Copley and trade deadline acquisition Joonas Korpisalo have split the games in net, with Copley playing on Thursday. If history is any indication Korpisalo should be in line to start Saturday. Korpisalo is 3-0 with a .929 save percentage since coming over to the Kings.
