The Los Angeles Kings take on the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Kings are in a playoff fight with the Vegas Golden Knights and hold a three-game advantage with five games remaining.
Anaheim would like no better than to play spoiler, especially since its own playoff hopes are gone. The Ducks are the underdog on Tuesday evening, but played the Kings tough this season, winning one of two previous meetings.
Can the Ducks ruin the Kings' postseason plans, or will Los Angeles win its second straight against Anaheim?
Find out in our free NHL picks and predictions for Kings vs. Ducks on Tuesday, April 19.
Kings vs Ducks odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Kings are the road favorites, opening at -175, but dropping to as low as -159 at most sportsbooks. The Ducks began at +145 and have dipped to +140. The total has held steady at 5.5, though BetMGM upped it to 6.
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 Ducks predictions
Predictions made on 4/19/2022 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Kings vs Ducks game info
• Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
• Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
• Puck drop: 10:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
Kings vs Ducks betting preview
Key injuries
Kings: Drew Doughty D (Out), Mikey Anderson D (Out), Sean Walker D (Out).
Ducks: Jakob Silfverberg F (Out), Max Jones F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Kings vs Ducks head-to-head record
Kings: 5-4-1 SU, 33 goals for.
Ducks: 5-5 SU, 28 goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Kings are 1-7 in their last eight games following a victory. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Ducks.
Kings vs Ducks 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.
Moneyline analysis
The Kings’ trends make a persuasive argument in taking them in their game against the Ducks on Tuesday, but there are a couple of negatives that really stand out in this contest. The first is Los Angeles’ record following a victory.
The Kings are 1-7 in their last eight games after a win. They last played on Saturday in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jackets at home. A week ago, the Kings defeated the Blackhawks, then got trounced 9-3 by the Avalanche. Two weeks ago, they downed Winnipeg, then lost 6-3 to Minnesota.
Granted, the Ducks are not in the same class as any of those teams, but they are a rival of the Kings. Even though their own playoff hopes are over, they will be motivated to help kill the Kings’ postseason plans. The second reason I like the Ducks on the moneyline is the Kings’ offense. They have been struggling, averaging 2.7 goals in their last 10 contests. The average is skewed even more when you throw in the five goals they scored against Chicago, and the six they hung on Nashville.
That’s not to say Anaheim has been putting the puck in the net any more effectively than the Kings. The Ducks have struggled to score, but their last two games gave them hope. They scored six on Sunday against Columbus and played Tampa Bay tight, losing 4-3 in overtime. They also lost another overtime game to Florida a week ago.
If the Ducks can be competitive with the two top teams in the Eastern Conference, they can certainly hang with the Kings and should be motivated enough to score the upset.
Prediction: Ducks ML (+140 at BetRivers)
Over/Under analysis
Both the Kings and Ducks have had issues with scoring. The Kings are 21st in goals per game, averaging 2.81. The Ducks are right behind them at 22nd at 2.79. Neither team has a player in the Top 50 in points. Anze Kopitar has 62 for the Kings, while Troy Terry leads the Ducks with 63.
The defense of the Kings has been a bright spot, especially when you consider all the injuries they sustained throughout the season. Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson, and Sean Walker are still on the shelf and likely done for the year. Still, Los Angeles has managed to tie the St. Louis Blues at 10th in the NHL in goals against, averaging 2.84.
A big part of that has to be credited to veteran goalie Jonathan Quick. The former Conn Smythe winner and Cal Petersen have been splitting duties between the pipes, but it looks like Kings head coach Todd McLellan is going with Quick as the starter.
The 36-year-old has started two of the last three games, allowing only three total goals. Anaheim will probably counter with Anthony Stolarz, who has a .928 save percentage over his last five games and has a 2.63 GAA.
Both goalies should be on form, thus making the Under an attractive wager.
Prediction: Under 5.5 (+110 at PointsBet)
Best bet
Troy Terry has established himself as the star of the Ducks. The right-winger has been a constant on an otherwise inconsistent Anaheim team. Terry leads the team in goals with 36. The next highest is rookie Trevor Zegras, who has 21.
Terry is also the team’s points leader with 63. The 24-year-old currently has a four-game scoring streak. Since he is on the first line with Ryan Getzlaf and Adam Henrique, the Kings’ first defensive unit of Alex Edler and Matt Roy will have daunting the task of trying to stop Terry.
Both are returning from injury and their effectiveness might be a question mark. If Kings coach Todd McLellan wants to give Quick a break and put Petersen in net, I could see Terry having at least a goal, and maybe more.
Petersen has been wildly inconsistent this year, giving up six goals in his last outing. Either way, Terry’s streak will continue.
Pick: Terry anytime goal (+170 at DraftKings)
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