A new year is an opportunity for the Toronto Maple Leafs to turn the page on a December that ended with a whimper. Losers of five out of six, their latest defeat was Saturday at home to the Hurricanes, 3-2. The Kings didn’t do themselves any favours at the tail end of 2023 either, losing three of five, most recently 3-2 to the Oilers at home.

L.A. is deemed the favourite for Tuesday’s contest, with the NHL odds pegging them at -135 on the moneyline and +170 on the puckline.

Maple Leafs vs. Kings NHL Betting Odds

Tonight is the second and final regular season meeting between the Leafs and Kings. They clashed in Toronto on Halloween night, with the visitors skating to a 4-1 victory. Neither side has mustered a winning streak since the Kings did so between March 2020 and November 2021. Since then each club has swapped victories. Curiously, in none of the nine previous tête-à-têtes has the loser scored more than two goals a game, and that amount was only scored twice.

Toronto is terrible against the spread, we know. At least their one-goal loss to Carolina on Saturday resulted in a cover given that they were +1.5 underdogs. That improved their record to 10-24. One thing betters can count on however is that the over has better chances of connecting. The club is 19-14-1 in that respect.

This matchup specifically has the potential to make good on the over. Both Toronto and Los Angeles are top 10 teams offensively. The Leafs net 3.53 (sixth) times a game and the Kings 3.48 (seventh). On the flip side, the Kings are the number one side in the NHL in goals against per match, allowing only 2.33. Furthermore, the Kings are a sounder bet on the puckline with an 18-15 tally.

Toronto Maple Leafs

By the time Saturday night’s game concluded, one would think the Toronto Maple Leafs were more than happy to leave 2023 in the rear-view mirror. They suffered another loss despite a decent performance and one of their former players came back to haunt them.

The first bad omen came in the opening stanza when Sebastien Aho fed former Leafs Michael Bunting (eighth, power play) in the slot to make it 1-0. Then, in the second period, less then 10 seconds into another power play the Hurricanes caught the Toronto defence off guard in a rush, allowing Seth Jarvis (13^th) to tap in a pass to make it 2-0. Aho would complete the evening with an empty net goal late in the third period after Timothy Liljegren scored his first of the campaign with a lovely wrister. The bizarre and ironic cherry on this disappointing sundae was a Nicholas Robertson (fifth) goal in the dying seconds that took several minutes to review. It certainly looked as though the Canes goalie made a sensational save but the reality was that his glove, which held the puck, was behind the goal line. Yet it was all for naught since it merely made it a 3-2 loss anyway.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have played their recent opponents tough, that much needs to be said. However, a loss is still a loss, and the Californian club is riding a two-game losing streak as they enter Tuesday’s match.

They were last seen in action at home to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. It’s safe to say they allowed the game to escape them. L.A. began brilliantly, with goals from Kevin Fiala (eighth, power play and a stunning one-timer rocket) and Adrian Kempe (12^th). At home, with the crowd buzzing, and a 2-0 advantage. What could go wrong? Well, the Kings never scored again, stymied by Edmonton netminder Stuart Skinner. Moreover, Connor McDavid got cooking in the middle period, scoring once (13th) and assisting on the tying goal. The contest would require a shootout, which L.A. also led – three times – but could not win, eventually falling 3-2.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Maple Leafs vs. Kings?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Maple Leafs Team Leaders

TOR

Points	Auston Matthews 107
+ / -	Auston Matthews 31
Shots	Auston Matthews 369
Penalty Mins	Max Domi 118
Wins	Ilya Samsonov 23
GAA	Martin Jones 2.87

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 75
+ / -	Mikey Anderson 22
Shots	Adrian Kempe 246
Penalty Mins	Andreas Englund 81
Wins	Cam Talbot 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.15

TOR

Points	Max Domi 4
+ / -	Ilya Lyubushkin 4
Shots	John Tavares 22
Penalty Mins	Max Domi 6
Wins	Joseph Woll 2
GAA	Joseph Woll 0.86

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 5
+ / -	Quinton Byfield 4
Shots	Adrian Kempe 21
Penalty Mins	Drew Doughty 14
Wins	Cam Talbot 1
GAA	David Rittich 2.56

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Kings Team Leaders

TOR

Points	Auston Matthews 107
+ / -	Auston Matthews 31
Shots	Auston Matthews 369
Penalty Mins	Max Domi 118
Wins	Ilya Samsonov 23
GAA	Martin Jones 2.87

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 75
+ / -	Mikey Anderson 22
Shots	Adrian Kempe 246
Penalty Mins	Andreas Englund 81
Wins	Cam Talbot 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.15

TOR

Points	Max Domi 4
+ / -	Ilya Lyubushkin 4
Shots	John Tavares 22
Penalty Mins	Max Domi 6
Wins	Joseph Woll 2
GAA	Joseph Woll 0.86

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 5
+ / -	Quinton Byfield 4
Shots	Adrian Kempe 21
Penalty Mins	Drew Doughty 14
Wins	Cam Talbot 1
GAA	David Rittich 2.56

Injuries

Toronto

Ilya Lyubushkin (D)

Prob Sat Personal - 26 / 04 / 24

Max Domi (C)

Prob Sat Undisclosed - 15 / 04 / 24

Bobby McMann (C)

Out Sat Lower Body - 13 / 04 / 24

Joel Edmundson (D)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24

Max Domi (C)

Prob Sat Undisclosed - 12 / 04 / 24

Timothy Liljegren (D)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 28 / 03 / 24

Joel Edmundson (D)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 26 / 03 / 24

Ilya Samsonov (G)

Ques Thurs Lower Body - 23 / 03 / 24

Tyler Bertuzzi (LW)

Prob Sun Illness - 22 / 03 / 24

Ryan Reaves (RW)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 20 / 03 / 24

Los Angeles

Anze Kopitar (C)

Ques Mon Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24

Phillip Danault (LW)

Prob Sat Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 24

Alex Turcotte (C)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 20 / 03 / 24

Adrian Kempe (RW)

Late March Upper Body - 27 / 02 / 24

Mikey Anderson (D)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 24 / 02 / 24

Viktor Arvidsson (RW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 24

Carl Grundstrom (RW)

Prob Mon Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 24

Trevor Lewis (C)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 31 / 01 / 24

Quinton Byfield (RW)

Prob Wed Illness - 26 / 01 / 24

Matt Roy (D)

Ques Wed Personal - 22 / 01 / 24

Injuries

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Ilya Lyubushkin (D)	Prob Sat	Personal - 26 / 04 / 24	1-3	0-3-1	+ -
Lyubushkin is dealing with a personal matter, but it is not expected to impact his availability versus the Bruins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Max Domi (C)	Prob Sat	Undisclosed - 15 / 04 / 24	2-7	4-4-1	+ -
Domi is dealing with an unknown issue, but it is forecasted that he will dress for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Bruins.
Bobby McMann (C)	Out Sat	Lower Body - 13 / 04 / 24	2-8	5-4-1	+ -
McMann is hampered by a lower-body injury, and he will not suit up against the Bruins for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Joel Edmundson (D)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24	2-8	5-4-1	+ -
Edmundson was absent from the last match with an unspecified injury, and it has yet to be established if he will suit up Tuesday against the Panthers.
Max Domi (C)	Prob Sat	Undisclosed - 12 / 04 / 24	2-8	5-4-1	+ -
Domi is dealing with an unknown ailment, but it is not expected to impact his status for Saturday's battle against the Red Wings.
Timothy Liljegren (D)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 28 / 03 / 24	7-11	8-8-2	+ -
Liljegren is sidelined with an upper-body injury, and the severity of the ailment is unknown.
Joel Edmundson (D)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 26 / 03 / 24	8-11	8-9-2	+ -
Edmundson has been idle with an unspecified ailment, but he is likely to return Thursday against the Devils.
Ilya Samsonov (G)	Ques Thurs	Lower Body - 23 / 03 / 24	10-11	10-9-2	+ -
Samsonov has been absent from the last two contests with a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Capitals on Thursday.
Tyler Bertuzzi (LW)	Prob Sun	Illness - 22 / 03 / 24	10-11	10-9-2	+ -
Bertuzzi missed the last game with an illness, but it is projected that he will be in Sunday's lineup versus the Hurricanes.
Ryan Reaves (RW)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 20 / 03 / 24	10-12	11-9-2	+ -
Reaves was absent from the last match with an unknown injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Oilers on Saturday.

Los Angeles

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Anze Kopitar (C)	Ques Mon	Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24	4-4	4-4	+ -
Kopitar was absent from the last game with an unknown injury, and it is up in the air whether he will face the Wild on Monday.
Phillip Danault (LW)	Prob Sat	Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 24	7-8	8-7	+ -
Danault has missed the previous four games with an upper-body issue, but it is projected that he will play against the Canucks on Saturday.
Alex Turcotte (C)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 20 / 03 / 24	10-10	11-9	+ -
Turcotte has been moved to the long-term injured reserve list with an upper-body injury, and the severity of the ailment is unknown.
Adrian Kempe (RW)	Late March	Upper Body - 27 / 02 / 24	15-16	13-17-1	+ -
Kempe is out of commission with an upper-body injury, and he will remain sidelined until the end of March.
Mikey Anderson (D)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 24 / 02 / 24	15-17	13-18-1	+ -
Anderson has been shut down with an upper-body injury, but he is expected to return to the ice Monday versus the Islanders.
Viktor Arvidsson (RW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 24	17-17	13-20-1	+ -
Arvidsson has been activated from the long-term injured reserve list after recovering from a lower-body injury, and he is likely to return to the ice Wednesday versus the Wild.
Carl Grundstrom (RW)	Prob Mon	Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 24	20-18	15-22-1	+ -
Grundstrom has been shifted to the long-term injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, but he is expected to be activated prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference first round versus the Oilers.
Trevor Lewis (C)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 31 / 01 / 24	21-19	16-22-2	+ -
Lewis is tending to an unspecified ailment, leaving his status against the Predators on Wednesday in question.
Quinton Byfield (RW)	Prob Wed	Illness - 26 / 01 / 24	21-21	17-23-2	+ -
Byfield has missed the last two games with an illness, but it is predicted that he will dress for Wednesday's contest versus the Predators.
Matt Roy (D)	Ques Wed	Personal - 22 / 01 / 24	21-23	18-24-2	+ -
Roy was absent from the last game for the birth of his child, and it is uncertain if he will suit up Wednesday versus the Sabres.