Calgary Flames vs. Los Angeles Kings Prediction, NHL Odds
The Flames hit the road on the heels of a narrow 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins that marks the club’s fifth win in six outings. The Kings search for just their second win in eight outings, but have managed to earn at least a point in three of their past four contests.
After opening as -144 favourites, the Flames quickly rocketed to -151 chalk, thanks to heavy support from sports bettors in early wagering. However, Calgary has since dipped to a -141 bet, while the Kings now look to Thursday’s matchup as +118 underdogs. With the Flames playing standout defence during their current surge, the total has dipped to 5.0 since opening at 5.5. However, with the support of 72% of sports bettors, the OVER remains heavily favoured as a -136 wager.
Flames vs. Kings NHL Betting Odds
Thursday night’s matchup marks the first meeting between these Western Conference rivals since February 2020. The Kings skated away with a 5-3 victory as +110 home underdogs in that contest, and have now earned the win in four of their past five dates with Calgary. Los Angeles has powered its recent run of success with stingy defence, limiting the Flames to just 2.20 goals per game over their past five meetings, and to just five total goals while winning three of four on home ice at Staples Center. However, with the Kings averaging four goals per game, the OVER currently enjoys a 3-1 run when these two teams meet.
Calgary Flames
The Flames needed a seven-round shootout to claim the win over Pittsburgh on Monday night. That marked the second straight game in which they were limited to just two goals. However, the Flames received yet another outstanding performance from goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who turned aside 21 of 22 shots, and has now surrendered two or fewer goals in seven of nine starts. Calgary’s current scoring slump has not been for lack of effort or opportunity. The club outshot Pittsburgh by a wide 32-22 margin, and also peppered Connor Hellebuyck with 36 shots in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Winnipeg, including a 16-shot third-period barrage.
Los Angeles Kings
Describing the Kings’ performance this season as streaky is an understatement. Losers of six straight in the first two weeks of the season, the Kings rebounded with seven straight wins before posting just one win in their past seven outings. Spotty offence has not helped the cause. The Kings rank 24th with just 2.57 goals scored per game, but have managed to score eight times over their past two contests. Anze Kopitar and Viktor Arvidsson have combined to tally two total goals and eight total assists over the past three games. Drew Doughty also showed no ill effects of the knee injury that sidelined him for 16 games while playing almost 28 minutes and setting up a third-period goal in Tuesday’s 5-4 shootout loss to Anaheim.
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