Get ready hockey fans! A battle between the two most populous cities and their NHL teams will be the talk of the sport on Tuesday night as the New York Rangers take on the Los Angeles Kings. Which team will prove that they have the best coast? Let’s look at our NHL odds series where we make our Rangers-Kings prediction and pick!
Even though New York has only mustered up three wins in their previous eight games played, they are coming off of a gritty 2-1 win on the road against the San Jose Sharks. Now at 9-6-4, the time is now for the Rangers to kick it into high gear and start exceeding expectations from their conference finals appearance a year ago.
When it comes to the Kings out west, LA is fresh off of a heartbreaking loss in overtime to the Seattle Kraken. While the Kings did record a point by taking the contest past regulation, it was the second-straight loss for a Kings squad that now sits with an 11-8-2 record. However, this game versus the Rangers will be taking place at crypto.com Arena where LA has posted a 6-3 mark up to this point.
Here are the Rangers-Kings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Rangers-Kings Odds
New York Rangers: +0.5 (-130)
Los Angeles Kings: -0.5 (+106)
Over: 6 (-105)
Under: 6 (-115)
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
There is no question that the Rangers have gotten off to a slower start than expected after exploding a year ago with an extremely impressive 52-24-6 record, but now is not the time to be sleeping on New York’s talent out on the ice. Yes, there is a chance that the Rangers may not be as good as they were a year ago, but when it comes to this game, New York is certainly capable of winning the game and at least covering the spread as well.
However, in order to cover in a hostile environment, the Rangers will need to bring their A game to Los Angeles. To accomplish this, don’t be surprised if New York uses their defensive prowess to their advantage. While the Rangers are a slightly worse offensive unit in comparison to the Kings, they make up for it with their spectacular defensive play.
At the moment, New York is only surrendering 2.65 goals per game and possess one of the game’s most skilled goaltenders in net. With Igor Shesterkin, there is no introduction needed. On paper, Shesterkin ranks within the top-three of goalies with a 9-2-3 record and is seventh in the league with 2.34 goals allowed per contest. Without a doubt, the extremely talented Rangers net-minder is New York’s best chance to cover the spread on Tuesday evening.
Why The Kings Could Cover The Spread
When it comes to the Los Angeles Kings, their strong suits fall on the offensive side of the puck. In fact, LA edges out New York with 3.14 goals per game, which actually still only ranks as the 17th highest mark in the league. While they may be playing better together as a unit than the Rangers, there are still things that the Kings could improve on that could take this team and their offense to the next level.
Karl Rasmussen ·
Rexwell Villas ·
For starters, it will be vital for Los Angeles to scheme up some plays for one of their top players in left-winger Kevin Fiala. Believe it or not, after a career-year in his final season with the Minnesota Wild in which he erupted for 85 total points in playing all 82 games, Fiala has picked up right where he left off with a team-leading 18 points. It has become quite clear that the Kings have found a gem in Fiala, and keeping him involved more frequently than not on offense could prove to pay dividends in the later stages of this highly-anticipated contest.
Of course, none of this will matter if the Kings don’t get a solid showing from their longtime goaltender in Jonathan Quick. While Quick has experienced several successful seasons as the Kings net-minder, the 36-year-old veteran’s numbers are among the lowest out of qualifying starters in the league. Nevertheless, Los Angeles will be in good hands with Quick in the fact that he can use his veteran presence to stay even-keeled and not get too high or low on himself. If Los Angeles can jump out to an early lead, then having Quick shut the door feels like a much more comfortable position.
Final Rangers-Kings Prediction & Pick
Clearly, fans from all over the nation should be excited for this one, but it will be Rangers fanatics from the Big Apple that should have the last laugh. Side with New York’s ability to cover the spread and you may be a little richer.
Final Rangers-Kings Prediction & Pick: Rangers +0.5 (-130)
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