Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights: Game Preview, Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips & more | Dec. 28, 2023

Two top tier teams from the Western Conference will compete in NHL action on Thursday when the No. 2 Vegas Golden Knights meet the No.4 Los Angeles Kings at the T-Mobile Arena at 10 p.m. ET.

Vegas is aiming to recover from a 5-2 road loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, while Los Angeles enters the matchup with confidence following a 5-1 home win against the San Jose Sharks on the same day.

The game will be televised on BSW, SCRIPPS and ESPN+.

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Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights: Game preview

With a commendable 20-7-4 record, the Los Angeles Kings showcased their prowess by beating the Sharks 5-1 in their latest game.

Before the victory over San Jose, Los Angeles triumphed 5-3 against Calgary after a narrow 2-1 loss to Seattle. The Kings are averaging 3.53 goals per game while maintaining a solid defensive stance, allowing only 2.37 goals against per game.

Their power play efficiency stands at 20%, and they boast an impressive 86.6% success rate on the penalty kill. Anze Kopitar leads the team with 13 goals, 18 assists, and 59 shots on goal.

The projected starting goalie for Los Angeles is Cam Talbot, who has posted a 14-6-2 record this year, along with a 2.06 GAA and .925 SV%.

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have a season record of 21-10-5 but recently suffered a setback, a 5-2 loss to Anaheim in their last game. The defeat adds to a four-game losing streak, including losses to Florida, Tampa Bay and Carolina.

The Vegas Golden Knights are averaging 3.37 goals per game and conceding 2.71 goals against per game. Their power play operates at a 22.5% success rate, and their penalty kill stands at 81%.

Jack Eichel has been a standout performer for Vegas, leading with 15 goals, 24 assists and 147 shots on goal. Jiri Patera is the projected starting goalie for Vegas, with a 1-2-0 record this season, a 3.98 GAA and a .897 SV%.

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Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights: Head-to-head and significant numbers

• In 35 games, including regular season and playoffs, the Golden Knights lead 20-15 (57.1%) record against the Kings.
• When considering only regular season matchups, the Golden Knights hold a 16-15 (51.6%) record against the Kings.
• The longest winning streak the Golden Knights have enjoyed over the Kings is four games, commencing with a 1-0 victory on Apr. 11, 2018, and concluding on Apr. 17, 2018.
• The Golden Knights rank 18th in faceoff win rate in the NHL at 49.9%, while the Kings are tenth with a faceoff win rate of 51.1%.
• The Kings have achieved three shutouts this season, averaging 16.6 hits and 14.4 blocked shots per game.
• The Golden Knights have secured two shutouts, with their skaters averaging 19.5 hits and 18 blocked shots per game.

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Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights: Odds and predictions

The Vegas Golden Knights have been the preferred choice for oddsmakers, holding a 16-11 record. Notably, they are 14-9 when playing with odds shorter than -126, giving them a 55.8% chance of winning this game.

On the flip side, the Kings have donned the underdog role eight times this season and have pulled off upsets four times. LA Kings holds a 2-1 record when labeled as the underdogs, with odds of +106 or longer, signaling a 48.5% chance of emerging victorious here.

Prediction: Golden Knights 5-4 LA Kings

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Los Angeles Kings vs Vegas Golden Knights: Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result: LA Kings to win

Tip 2: Total goals over 7: Yes.

Tip 3: Golden Knights to beat the spread: Yes