Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights Betting Picks

The season statistics show the Kings to be 30th in scoring and 29th on the power play. LA has been defensive-minded under coach Jim Hiller. But that is likely to change as the new Kings general manager, Ken Holland, made a move right before the Winter Olympic break, acquiring high-scoring left wing Artemi Panarin from the Rangers. Panarin is the NHL’s seventh-leading scorer during the past five seasons, putting up 156 goals and 298 assists for New York. He has scored at least 25 goals in eight of his first 10 seasons, including a career-high 49 goals and 120 points two seasons ago. Panarin is going to inject instant offense into the Kings. The Golden Knights are a top-10 scoring team, but have been just average defensively. Las Vegas has scored at least three goals in four of its last five games. The Golden Knights are averaging four goals a game in three games against the Kings this season. We're getting a good number here. Take the OVER. 

The Kings have scored 141 goals this season, second-fewest in the league. The Kings also rank 30th in shooting percentage and are 29th on the power play. A lack of scoring punch and coaching philosophy are reasons the Kings play a highly conservative defensive style. The UNDER has cashed in 56% of LA's games. The Kings did make an effort to upgrade their offense by acquiring winger Artemi Panarin from the Rangers, but Panarin won't play in today's game. Both LA and Las Vegas were in action last night. The Kings have gone UNDER six of the past seven times when playing without rest. The Golden Knights defeated the Canucks, 5-2, at home last night. Vancouver is the worst defensive team in the NHL. The Kings are the third-best defensive team in the league. The Golden Knights were averaging 2.4 goals a game in their past five games, two of which went past regulation, before their five-goal outburst against defenseless Vancouver. Take the UNDER. 

The schedule maker didn't do the Kings any favors with their first two games. Los Angeles lost 4-1 to Colorado at home on Tuesday and now has to play its second game of the season on the Strip, with no rest. The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division last season and added Mitch Marner from the Leafs, who scored a career-high 102 points in 81 games last season. That was the fifth-highest total in the NHL. The Golden Knights finished fifth in the NHL in goals per game last season with an average of 3.34. They should be even more potent this season with Marner. Las Vegas went 29-9-3 at home last season, while the Kings—who finished five points behind the Knights in the Pacific—were 17-19-5 on the road. Going back to last season, the Kings have allowed 41 goals in their last nine games (4.5 per game). They're also 36-60 when playing on the road with no rest since 2016, and this early-season back-to-back spot gives the home side a big upper hand. Take the Golden Knights.

Two teams going in different directions meet as Vegas is back on track winning seven of eight following a rough stretch in January and Los Angeles has lost five of six although the Kings did get a 2-1 overtime victory over St. Louis on Saturday, but now have to play a back-to-back. The Golden Knights have allowed only two goals in three games, including their 4-0 shutout of Pittsburgh on Friday. Ilya Samsonov stopped all 22 shots he faced and Adin Hill is likely back in net tonight. Hill is 23-10-4 with a 2.50 goals-against average and his expected counterpart, David Rittich, is 11-12-2 for the Kings, who have gone UNDER four of six games. Vegas is 8-4 UNDER its past 12 Pacific Division games and Los Angeles is 19-12-3 UNDER on the road. The Kings have scored 10 goals in six games. Take the Golden Knights and the UNDER.

Vegas is first in the Pacific Division with a +32 goal differential, the third-best in the Western Conference. They've won three in a row, outscoring those opponents 10-5, with two on the road. The offense is seventh in goals scored (3.28) and fourth on the power play, while the defense is sixth in goals given up (2.70 per game). Los Angeles is on a 6-9 run, including losing as chalk of -155, -190, -180, -150, and -240. The offense is 19th in the NHL in goals scored and shooting percentage, plus 29th on the power play. Two games ago, they lost at home to Anaheim, 2-1, as a -240 favorite. Play Vegas.