Los Angeles Kings at Minnesota Wild Betting Preview
21 February 2023
We have reached the part of the NHL season in which teams have to start racking up the wins in order to reach the postseason. The Minnesota Wild host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, and both of these teams are in that situation.
Los Angeles comes into this game having won four straight, and they are playing their best hockey of the season. The Kings have picked up 71 points on the year, and they are staying in the race in the Pacific Division.
Minnesota comes into this game with 65 points on the year, and they still have some work to do if they are going to reach the postseason. The Wild have won two straight games, but finding a way to be more consistent has been something that has plagued them all season long.
The Minnesota Wild are moneyline betting favorites in this game at -131 over the Los Angeles Kings.
Kings Have to Defend
The Los Angeles Kings are going to have to be better defensively if they are going to make a deep playoff run this season. Los Angeles is allowing nearly 3.4 goals per game, and they have killed off just 75 percent of their own penalties.
The Kings have been able to continue winning games by being great on the offensive end of the ice. Los Angeles has scored 3.35 goals per game, and they have a number of great offensive weapons this season.
Kevin Fiala is leading the team with 40 assists and 61 total points, but there are plenty of other players that have stepped up. Los Angeles has some momentum.
Wild Searching For Offense
The Minnesota Wild come into this game scoring just 2.88 goals per game, and they are going to have to find a way to get better on that end of the ice. Minnesota has scored on the power play 24 percent of the time, but they just haven’t been great in even strength.
Kirill Kaprizov is leading the way with 33 goals and 66 points on the year, but he is going to need some help from his teammates. Minnesota will be in desperation mode as the season moves along, and that will make them dangerous on offense.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is going to have to step up in this game as well, but he has gone just 16-13-3 on the year.
Kings Cruise to Big Win
There doesn’t appear to be much separation between the Kings and Wild this season, but it is Los Angeles that has been playing better of late. The Kings have a team that is loaded with veterans, and they know that now is the right time to make a push to the postseason.
Los Angeles has been giving up too many goals this season, but they aren’t facing a great offensive team in this game. Minnesota just won’t be able to generate enough offense to keep this game close, and things are going to get spread out in this matchup.
Bet the Los Angeles Kings -3.5 as they take complete control of this game and win by four goals on Tuesday night.
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All Media on this page by Associated Press.
