The Los Angeles Kings conclude a three-game road trip Wednesday night, facing the best team in the NHL in the Colorado Avalanche. L.A. is in desperate need of points to keep pace with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division and make the playoffs after losing three of its last four.
Meanwhile, Colorado is on a six-game winning streak and hasn’t played since Saturday. Will the home side keep the streak going, or will Los Angeles find a way to sneak out of the Mile High City with two points? Find out in our free NHL betting picks and predictions for Kings vs. Avalanche on Wednesday, April 13.
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Kings vs Avalanche odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Avalanche opened as -238 favorites at home, but the line went up to -250 at several sportsbooks. The Kings began at +195, but that line has gone up to +220 at certain books. The total of 5.5 went up to 6.0 and the over is at -110 at some books but can be found as low as -104,
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Kings vs Avalanche predictions
Predictions made on 4/13/2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Kings vs Avalanche game info
• Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2022
• Puck drop: 9:30 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT
Kings vs Avalanche betting preview
Key injuries
Kings: Drew Doughty D (Out), Andreas Athanasiou F (Out), Mikey Anderson D (Out), Sean Walker D (Out).
Avalanche: Nazem Kadri C (Out), Ryan Murray D (Out), Gabriel Landeskog F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Kings vs Avalanche head-to-head record
Kings: 1-9 SU, 13 goals for.
Avalanche: 9-1 SU, 35 goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Kings have not beat the Avalanche in the teams’ last eight meetings and are 1-9 since 2021. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Avalanche.
Kings vs Avalanche picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Puck line analysis
The Avalanche are well-rested and on a six-game winning streak and face a Kings team that has played four games in nine days, including one last night in Chicago.
Los Angeles will cross a time zone to get to Denver and will have to play at a notoriously high altitude. That doesn’t sound like a game plan suited to winning.
Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over the lowly Chicago Blackhawks was two much-needed points in its race to grab the third spot in the Pacific Division and stay out of the wildcard chase. But it currently sits three points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Coming to Ball Arena to face the red-hot Avalanche does it no favors. The Kings haven’t beaten the Avs since January 22, 2021, and are big +220 underdogs to win in a place they haven’t in over a year.
Colorado last played on Saturday, where it defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 2-1. The Avs are 9-2 when playing after three days’ rest and are also 48-9 straight up as the home favorites.
They are the No. 3 team in the league in scoring at 3.76 goals per game, and fifth on the power play, converting 25% of the time.
Six players for the Avalanche have 20 or more goals, led by Mikko Rantanen, with 35. He also has 51 assists, putting him 11th in the league in points. Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are also in the Top 20 in the NHL in points.
Taking Colorado at -238 on the moneyline makes no sense, but getting them at +105 on the puck line is a great value bet. Especially when you consider in their last four meetings, the Avalanche have beaten the Kings by three or more goals.
Prediction: Avalanche -1.5 (+105 at BetMGM)
Over/Under analysis
You would think with Colorado’s offense the Over would hit in just about every game, but against the Kings, the Under has been what’s trending. In their last 10 meetings, the Under has gone 8-0-2.
Part of this is because of how badly Los Angeles has performed in these meetings. It has been shut out in two of the matchups and in the other eight has scored four goals once.
The Kings are probably going to go with goalie Cal Petersen since Jonathan Quick got the victory last night in Chicago. Petersen last played Sunday against the Minnesota Wild, losing 6-3. He is 23rd among goalies in goals against, with an average of 2.79 but his save percentage is even worse, where he is tied for 42nd at .899.
Colorado’s goalie Darcy Kemper has been an absolute machine. He is sixth in GAA at 2.37 and his .922 SV% has him tied for third in the league.
The Under for both teams has been dominant with the Avalanche playing 4-0 that way against their last four Pacific Division opponents and 5-1 in the team’s last six home games — all of which they were the favorite.
The Kings are also all in on the Under, having played to it four times in their last five games that saw them as the underdog. All signs point to the final score staying below the total.
Prediction: Under 6 (-104 at BetRivers)
Best bet
The Kings are a tired hockey team. They did defeat Chicago yesterday, but having to turn around less than 24 hours later and play the Stanley Cup favorite is a tough assignment for any team.
The Avs have dominated L.A. in the last 10 meetings, going 9-1 SU and allowing just 13 goals against.
Los Angeles is 22nd in the league in goals for average at 2.81 with no player in the Top 50 in points. It won’t get any help from its 28th ranked power play who convert on just 16.6% of chances.
The Kings can score goals against poor teams — like the five they hung on Chicago — but they falter when they play quality competition. That should be the case again when they face a team with arguably the hottest goalie and most stifling defense in the league at the time of typing this.
Pick: Kings team total Under 1.5 (+180 at DraftKings)
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