T-Mobile Arena will play host to an enticing showdown as the Los Angeles Kings pay a visit to the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s the fourth and final time that these two clubs will go at it in the regular season. NBC Sports Network will air this divisional matchup, and the puck drops at 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 1.
Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights Odds
Vegas (-360) is currently the heavy favorite over Los Angeles (+275), and the Over/Under (O/U) is placed at 6 goals. If you want to play the matchup’s total, you’ll be looking at odds of -105 for the over and -115 on the under.
The Golden Knights are 36-30 straight up (SU) and have not been kind to moneyline bettors (returning -9.5 units) thus far. That winning percentage, the best in the Pacific Division in this young season, hasn’t moved much from the 43-39 record the team produced during last year’s regular season campaign. Of its 66 games this season, 33 have gone over the total, while 28 have gone under and just five have pushed. This year, the team is 21-14 SU at home.
Vegas has connected on 21.4 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 22nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.0 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, Vegas has been called for penalties 3.7 times per game overall this season, and 3.0 per game over its last five home outings. The team’s had to kill penalties for just 7.4 minutes per game over its last 10 matchups, overall.
Sporting a .908 save percentage and 26.3 saves per game, Marc-Andre Fleury (26-20-5) has been the best goalkeeper for the Golden Knights this year. If they choose to rest him, however, head coach Peter Deboer may turn to Robin Lehner (17-17-17 record, .919 save percentage, 2.98 goals against average).
Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone will both be focal points for the Golden Knights. Pacioretty (63 points) has produced 30 goals and 33 assists and has recorded multiple points on 15 separate occasions this year. Stone has 21 goals and 42 assists to his credit and has recorded at least one point in 39 contests.
Los Angeles has lost 10.1 units for moneyline bettors this year and is currently 24-41 straight up (SU). A total of 34 of its matches have gone under the total, while 25 have gone over and just five have pushed. As the visiting team, Los Angeles is 9-26 SU.
Los Angeles has converted on just 16.9 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s ranked 24th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 28th overall and it’s successfully defended 76.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Los Angeles’ players have been penalized only 3.1 times per game in total this season, and 2.4 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jonathan Quick (26.3 saves per game) has been the main option in the net for Los Angeles. Quick owns a 14-26-4 record, and has registered a .901 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Kings, the offense will be facilitated by Anze Kopitar, who’s got 39 assists and 18 goals on the year.
Los Angeles Kings vs. Vegas Golden Knights Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Golden Knights, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- For both of these teams, the game went over the total in three of their last five outings.
- This game features two teams that have clobbered opposing nets with shots. Los Angeles has attempted the league’s fourth-most shots on goal (33.4) and Vegas’s attempted the second-most (34.3).
- The Kings are 8-16 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 18-33 in games where they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total.
- Los Angeles is 0-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vegas is 3-2 in shootouts.
- Vegas skaters have forced 11.8 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 9.8 takeaways per game (ranked 1st overall).
- Los Angeles is ranked 31st in the league this season with 5.1 takeaways per game. That figure has trended down, however, as it’s managed 3.7 takeaways over its last 10 games and 4.0 takeaways over its last five.
