Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche odds, picks and predictions
The Los Angeles Kings (22-14-9) and Colorado Avalanche (31-14-3) clash in Friday night Western Conference action in Denver. Puck drop at Ball Arena is slated for 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Kings vs. Avalancheodds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Los Angeles dropped a 5-3 decision to the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday. That loss brought an end to a 1-2-1 homestand that saw the Kings score just 9 goals. L.A. is an abysmal 2-7-5 since Dec. 28.
The Avalanche also played Wednesday; they routed the Washington Capitals 6-2 in Denver. For the club leading the league in scoring (3.81 goals per game), the triumph lifted Colorado to a 19-5-0 mark on home ice.
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Kings at Avalanche odds
BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:03 a.m. ET.
Kings at Avalanche projected goalies
Cam Talbot (14-12-5, 2.52 GAA, .913 SV%) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (26-11-2, 2.95 GAA, .897 SV%)
Talbot hasn't won since Dec. 23. The 36-year-old veteran allowed all 5 goals to the Sabres Wednesday and is 0-6-3 with an .887 SV% over his last 9 starts.
Georgiev allowed 2G on 25 shots Wednesday. He logged a subpar .883 SV% across his 1st 8 starts this month but owns a .908 mark in his last 2 starts.
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Kings at Avalanche picks and predictions
Prediction
Kings 4, Avalanche 3
Los Angeles is 14-5-3 on the road.
Recent games for each show puck-possession and shot analytics that would make this game -- even with the site in Denver -- as being closer to a pick 'em. And Colorado has been loose defensively of late: the Avs have allowed 4-plus goals in 4 of their last 5 games.
There is value on a partial-unit play on the KINGS +120. (Go in full on a tag of +125 or better.)
Too tall a price cutting into profit potential on the Los Angeles lean. PASS.
The Over is 5-1 across the last 6 series meetings and 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Denver.
Talbot is perhaps a bit overrated due to a .925 SV% in penalty-killing situations. Colorado's defense has been all-around leaky lately and its PK has been touched up for 9G in the team's last 12 games (23.7% powerplay allowed during that stretch).
