The Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights will look to strengthen their position when they welcome the Los Angeles Kings to T-Mobile Arena tonight.
The Golden Knights have been playing good hockey, going 13-2-3 through their last 18 games, but the streaking Oilers are right on their heels, just one point back of the Pacific Division crown.
They’ll be facing off against a stingy Kings squad that usually finds its scoring touch against the hosts.
Keep reading our Kings vs. Golden Knights NHL picks and predictions below to find out which of these divisional foes has the upper hand.
Kings vs Golden Knights best odds
Kings vs Golden Knights picks and predictions
The Los Angeles Kings had been on a pretty good roll of their own but dropped two games to the Oilers in a span of less than a week and have now gone 2-3-0 in their last five contests.
Los Angeles has maintained its strong defense through this stretch, surrendering just 1.80 goals per game, but the scoring has dried up. The Kings have actually been above average offensively this season at 3.35 gpg (10th), but they’ve recorded just nine goals through the last five contests — and just two across the three defeats.
Kevin Fiala, who remains questionable for tonight’s game with a lower-body injury, has missed the last two contests, leaving a hole in L.A.'s attack. Fiala leads the team with 72 points and ranks tied for fourth in goals with 23.
The Vegas Golden Knights have also picked up just two wins through their last five games but have gained a couple of extra points thanks to some overtime losses. Going back to the start of March, though, Vegas has earned 28 points, the second-best mark in the NHL behind only Edmonton.
While the Golden Knights have dominated most opponents of late, they’ve struggled against the pesky Kings, scoring just three total goals through the last two meetings.
Joonas Korpisalo — who will likely get the start for the Kings — has posted an impressive .937 SV% and 1.75 GAA through eight games with the Kings.
With a stout defense in front of him, I foresee Korpisalo having another strong outing and holding the Golden Knights to three goals or less.
My best bet: Golden Knights team total Under 3 goals (-110 at BetMGM)
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Kings vs Golden Knights moneyline analysis
The Golden Knights skate into tonight’s game as the -127 favorite on home ice, hovering right around that number at most books through Wednesday night.
While Vegas might have a slight edge on paper, Los Angeles looks to have a clear advantage in net. Pairing Korpisalo with the Kings’ improved defense, I do like the visitors as the road underdog tonight.
Vegas has had some instability in net due to a plethora of injuries — both Logan Thompson and Adin Hill remain out. That leaves the Golden Knights with two options: former Kings netminder Jonathan Quick and Laurent Brossoit.
Quick has been poor all season long for both Vegas and Los Angeles, posting an .895 SV% and a 3.43 GAA through his first nine appearances with the Golden Knights.
Brossoit has appeared in just eight games this season and has been up and down, though he’s put up a .937 SV% and a 1.96 GAA through his last two starts. Can Vegas expect consistency from Brossoit though? It’s tough to say.
Los Angeles has also won two straight against Vegas and two of the last three at T-Mobile Arena — another reason to like the Kings tonight.
Kings vs Golden Knights Over/Under analysis
The total for this contest opened at 6 goals but despite Los Angeles’ defensive prowess, the Over seems like the smart play tonight.
While the Under has cashed in five straight games for the Kings, the Over dominates this particular matchup, going 3-0-1 in the last four meetings at T-Mobile Arena and 15-5-1 in the last 21 matchups overall.
These clubs have combined for at least six goals in 10 straight meetings, with five of those games featuring 7+ goals — clearly something about the bright lights in Vegas brings the scoring touch out of both teams.
Los Angeles’ offense has slowed down of late but Fiala’s return is not ruled out, which would give them a nice boost.
The Kings have also scored at least three goals in six of their last seven outings against the Golden Knights, so this could be just the matchup they need to get back into an offensive rhythm.
Kings vs Golden Knights betting trend to know
The Over is 5-1 in the Golden Knights’ last six home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs Golden Knights.
Kings vs Golden Knights game info
| Location: | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV |
| Date: | Thursday, April 6, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally West, AT&T Sports Rocky Mountain |
