Avalanche vs. Kings NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - Dec. 29

Alex Laferriere will be coming off a hat trick when his Los Angeles Kings visit the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at 9 p.m. ET. The oddsmakers have made the Avalanche heavy favorites at -238 on the moneyline, and the Kings are at +195.

Colorado won in a shootout on the road its last time out on Dec. 27 against the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5, taking the shootout 2-1 to earn the victory. The Avalanche were led by Nathan MacKinnon (one goal and two assists) and Sam Malinski (three assists).

Los Angeles won its last game 6-1 at home over the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 27. The Kings were led in that outing by Laferriere (three goals) and Anze Kopitar (three assists).

Ahead of watching this matchup, here is a look at which team we pick to emerge with the victory in Monday's action on the ice.

Avalanche vs. Kings Predictions & Pick

Ahead of the upcoming contest between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, computer-derived moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, based on data from Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Kings 3 - Avalanche 2
• Pick OU: Under 5.5 (Dunkel projecting 5.06 goals)
  

Pick with the best in the business! Get free picks for every game, every week at the Dunkel Index.

Avalanche vs. Kings Moneylines

Take a peek below at the most recent moneylines for the Avalanche-Kings game.

• Favorite: Avalanche (-238)
• Underdog: Kings (+195)

Avalanche Betting Insights

• In the 36 times this season the Avalanche have been favored on the moneyline, they have finished 28-8 in those games.
• Colorado has had 13 games with moneyline odds of -238 or shorter, and won each time.
• The Avalanche have a 70.4% chance (based on the moneyline's implied probability) to win this game.
• Colorado's 37 matches this season have finished above this game's total of 5.5 goals 19 times.

Kings Betting Insights

• The Kings have been an underdog in 11 games this season, and won five (45.5%).
• Los Angeles has not entered a game this season with longer moneyline odds than +195.
• The sportsbooks' moneyline implies a 33.9% chance of victory for the Kings.
• Los Angeles has played 15 games this season with more than 5.5 goals.

Avalanche Key Stats

• Colorado leads the NHL with 147 total goals (4.0 per game).
• The Avalanche have allowed 81 total goals (only 2.2 per game), ranking first in NHL action for the fewest goals against.
• Its goal differential (+66) leads the league.
• The 20 power-play goals the Avalanche have scored this season rank 19th in the NHL (on 125 power-play chances).
• Colorado ranks 26th in the league with a 16% power-play conversion rate.
• The Avalanche have capitalized with one shorthanded goal this season (25th among NHL squads).
• Colorado's 85.85% penalty-kill success rate leads the league.
• Colorado wins 50.4% of its faceoffs (14th in NHL).
• The Avalanche connect on 11.5% of their shots (eighth in the league).

Kings Key Stats

• Los Angeles' 96 goals on the season (2.6 per game) rank 31st in the NHL.
• The Kings have one of the best defenses in the league, allowing 92 total goals (only 2.5 per game), second in the NHL.
• Its +4 goal differential is the eighth-best in the league.
• The Kings have 16 power-play goals (on 115 chances), 29th in the NHL.
• Los Angeles' power-play percentage (13.91) ranks the team 31st in the league.
• The Kings have six shorthanded goals (first in league).
• The 77.6% penalty-kill percentage of Los Angeles is 23rd in the league.
• Los Angeles wins 49.4% of faceoffs, 19th-ranked in the NHL.
• The Kings' 9.2% shooting percentage is 30th in the league.