The red-hot Nashville Predators continue their west coast swing by visiting the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night and are looking to win their third-consecutive game in four nights.
The Kings are seeing their grip on second place in the Pacific Division loosen as injuries are taking their toll on the organization and their rivals are capitalizing on all the missing players. The Vegas Golden Knights got to within four points of the Kings after a 5-1 defeat on Saturday, and the Edmonton Oilers are just a point behind L.A..
Can Nashville knock Los Angeles down in the standings? find out in our free NHL picks and predictions for the Predators vs. Kings.
Predators vs Kings odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Kings opened as -120 favorites, but that line has gone to -125 at several sportsbooks. The Predators opened at +100 but inched up to +105 at a couple of sportsbooks. The total opened at 5.5, but has moved up to 6.0.
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.
Predators vs Kings predictions
- Prediction: Predators ML (+105)
- Prediction: Over 6 (-105)
- Best bet: Matt Duchene anytime goal (+155)
Predictions made on 3/22/2022 at 2:13 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Predators vs Kings game info
• Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
• Puck drop: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV: HULU
Predators vs Kings betting preview
Key injuries
Predators: Matt Benning D (Out).
Kings: Sean Walker D (Out), Drew Doughty D (out), Mikey Anderson D (Out), Matt Roy D (Out), Tobias Bjornfot D (Questionable), Dustin Brown F (Out), Andreas Athanasiou F (Out), Viktor Arvidsson F, (Out), Brendan Lemieux F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Predators vs Kings head-to-head record
Predators: 8-1 SU, 33 goals for.
Kings: 1-8 SU, 19 goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Kings haven’t beaten the Predators since October 13, 2019, losing three straight to Nashville. Find more NHL betting trends for Predators vs. Kings.
Predators vs Kings 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 Predators have blistered their last two opponents, picking up 6-3 wins against both the Leafs and Ducks. The offense has been a team effort with goals from six different players in the Toronto victory and four against Anaheim.
Forwards Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene both scored three goals in the two games, and Forsberg added three assists. Defenseman Roman Josi had a goal and four assists in the two victories and has 24 points in a 10-game span to bring him up to 77 on the season.
If he reaches 100, he would be the first defenseman since Brian Leetch had 102 points in the 1991-92 season.
Nashville has won its last seven of nine games, including victories over the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Its streak has helped it jump to third in the Central Division, a point better than the St. Louis Blues.
The Kings are slowly starting to rebound from injuries. The team got defenseman Alex Edler back, who was out since December with a lower-body injury. Edler was one of six opening day starting defensemen who were injured.
His return will help bolster the blueline, as he will play on the second unit, along with Troy Stecher, who was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.
L.A.'s defense has really shined despite all of the injuries. The team is seventh in the NHL in goals-against average at 2.75, and the goalie tandem of Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick has been adequate.
Petersen is 14th in the NHL with a GAA of 2.65 in 29 games, and Quick has played in 35 games and is 19th in GAA with 2.70.
Petersen played in the team’s last game, a 5-1 road defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights. Quick will probably get the start Tuesday in the first game of a four-game homestand.
Quick was the starter when the two teams last met on January 6 and he gave up three goals on just 19 shots in the 4-2 defeat at home. The Preds will be excited to face him again.
Prediction: Predators moneyline (+105)
Over/Under analysis
There is no doubt the Predators like to score a lot of goals, sitting ninth in the NHL in goals for per game at 3.30. In Nashville’s last 10 games, it has scored 47 goals with it lighting the lamp four times or more on seven different occasions.
The Kings have had issues with offense, ranking 23rd in goals for per game at 2.77. In the last 10 games for Los Angeles, it has 23 goals and has been shut out three times over the same span.
When the two teams played in January, the total was 5.5 and the final score was 4-2, with the Over being the underdog and paying at -105.
For Tuesday’s game, the Over is again the underdog at -105, while the Under is at -115. One interesting trend is the Over is 5-0 for the Preds when their opponent scores two or fewer goals in its previous game.
The Kings lost to the Golden Knights on Saturday, 5-1, and Nashville has hit the Over in five of its last six games.
The Predators have played a lot of hockey the past four days. They have played three games in four days, and tonight’s game will be the second of a back-to-back, but the extra work doesn’t seem to bother them. In nine times this season when they played on consecutive days, they hit the Over six times in the second game.
Prediction: Over 6 (-105
Best bet
Nashville forward Matt Duchene has been on a tear. The 31-year-old has scored 11 goals in his last 10 games, adding eight assists as well.
Duchene has benefitted from playing on the first line with Filip Forsberg, who has been equally productive with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in a seven-game span.
Another advantage for Duchene finding the back of the net is Josi. The defenseman is on the ice with the first unit and he has provided 28 assists in 17 games.
Duchene also has the opportunity to score when on the power play. He is part of the first unit, along with Forsberg and Josi. The Predators rank sixth with 24.7% conversion on the power play.
Then there is the issue of the Kings’ defense. The team has been strong on defense despite all of the injuries but ranks 28th in power-play defense.
Pick: Matt Duchene anytime goalscorer (+155)
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