NHL Odds: Kings on the Cusp in Pittsburgh

The Los Angeles Kings (30-20-5) are one of the best teams in the NHL, but if the playoffs started today, they’d be on the outside looking in. The Kings can take a step up the Pacific Division standings this Thursday with a road win over the 31-22-4 Pittsburgh Penguins; game time is 7 PM ET.


Although the Penguins are only one point ahead of Los Angeles in the overall standings – and the Kings have two games in hand – that’s still good enough for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh also has a goal differential of plus-5, compared to plus-26 for LA. That differential has the Kings 3.31 units in the black at 30-25 against the puck line. The Pens, on the other hand, are down 1.77 units at 31-26 ATS.
Pittsburgh fans might be wondering if their team made the right choice between the pipes last summer. Matt Murray (.906 save percentage) has had a difficult and injury-riddled season, while former starter Marc-Andre Fleury (.932 SV%) has excelled since getting scooped up by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. Meanwhile, Jonathan Quick (.921 SV%) and Darcy Kuemper (.937 SV%) are both playing well for Los Angeles.

NHL Odds: Unlucky Kings Visit Fortunate Pens

The 31-22-4 Pittsburgh Penguins may be one point ahead of the 30-20-5 Los Angeles Kings in the overall standings, but the Kings have played better hockey thus far – and they can make a statement with a win Thursday night (7 PM ET) at PPG Paints Arena.

The Kings have a goal differential of plus-26 this year, well ahead of Pittsburgh at plus-5, and they’ve gotten much better goaltending from the tandem of Jonathan Quick (.921 save percentage) and Darcy Kuemper (.937 SV%). Matt Murray (.906 SV%) has struggled this year after historic back-to-back Stanley Cup wins as a rookie.