Los Angeles Kings vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
The Los Angeles Kings visit Ottawa to complete their season series with the Senators after getting beat in overtime just nine days ago.
LA will begin a six-game road trip tonight looking to bounce back after winning just six of their past eight contests. The Senators have put together their best stretch of hockey since the beginning of the season, with four wins in their past five games.
This is essentially a pick ‘em on the NHL odds with the total set at 6.5.
Kings vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
This head-to-head has played the Under in six of the past seven meetings, including their most recent meeting back on Nov. 27, when the Sens took a 3-2 win in overtime as the road team.
The game featured two goals from L.A.’s Arthur Kaliyev and a goal and assist from Ottawa’s captain Brady Tkachuk in regulation before Claude Giroux would pot the game-winner for the Senators in overtime. L.A. was badly out-shot, but Jonathan Quick kept his team in the game. He stopped 36 of 39 shots but it was Cam Talbot who would pull out the win, making 25 saves.
Since playing the Under versus Ottawa, the Kings have hit the Over in three straight games, making them 5-1 to the Over in their past six games. Their 16-9-2 record on the Over/Under this season can be credited to their soft defensive play, giving up 3.6 goals per game (27th in NHL). On the puckline, they have only covered the spread once in their past four, dropping them to 14-13 ATS.
Ottawa scored five goals in their most recent outing, snapping a streak of 10 straight games that played the Under, bumping their overall record on the over/under to 9-15. Their impressive recent stretch of hockey has helped them cover the spread in four of their past five games, putting themselves to 14-10 ATS this season.
Los Angeles Kings
Although they have not been getting wins, the Kings had a four-game point streak heading into Saturday night’s matchup versus the Carolina Hurricanes. L.A. was held off the scoresheet until midway through the third period when Arthur Kaliyev broke the shutout with his third power play goal in four games and ninth goal of the season. And 22-year-old rookie Samuel Fagemo would then score his first career goal in just his sixth NHL game, but that would be as close as the Kings would come, losing the game 4-2. Jonathan Quick got the start in net for the fifth consecutive game and allowed four goals on 31 shots, dropping his record to 8-7-2.
Defenceman Sean Durzi has stepped up for L.A. as of late, collecting an impressive seven points (1G 6A) on his current five-game point streak. The 24-year-old sophomore played a career-high 23:52 of time-on-ice against the Hurricanes and has picked up 16 points through 24 games this season.
With the recent move of sending goalie Cal Peterson to the AHL, could the Kings give Pheonix Copley his first start of the season tonight, to help lighten the load on 36-year-old Quick?
Ottawa Senators
The Senators are playing their best hockey since late October right now, winning back-to-back games and pulling out victories in four of their past five.
Claude Giroux’s three-point night (2G, 1A) powered the team to their most recent 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Brady Tkachuk opened the scoring on the power play in the first, scoring his fifth goal in as many games to even the game at one goal apiece. The Sens went on to score two more power play goals against the No. 1 penalty kill in the league, one from Tim Stutzle and another from Thomas Chabot, cruising to a 5-2 victory.
Anton Forsberg stopped 35 of 37 shots in net, picking up his fifth win of the season. It was his first game since Nov. 19.
Ottawa will look to keep their current hot streak alive and possibly get themselves out of last place in the Atlantic division. Captain Tkachuk is doing his part to keep his team competitive, scoring seven points (5G, 2A) and fighting twice in the past five games.
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