NHL Bets Tonight: Expert Picks for Kings vs. Lightning, January 9
This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
The Los Angeles Kings (20-10-6) make the second stop of a six-game road trip against the Tampa Bay Lightning (19-17-5) on Tuesday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN+.
The Kings had been road warriors this season, and overall they were playing tremendous hockey, but L.A. has hit a rough patch lately. They've dropped two in a row on the road, while going 0-3-2 in the past five games overall.
A key to the skid for Los Angeles has been on the defensive end of the ice, as the Kings have yielded three or more goals in five consecutive games, allowing 3.7 goals per game (GPG) in three outings since the ball dropped to ring in 2024.
For the Lighnting, they're coming off a 7-3 emasculating in Boston on Saturday, so they'll be champing at the bit to get out and wash that bad taste out of their collective mouths. Tampa Bay has been up and down lately, going 2-2-0 in four games since NYE, averaging a respectable 3.3 GPG, while allowing 3.8 GPG. The Over is 2-1-1 in those four outings.
Cam Talbot (14-9-3, 2.17 GAA, .923 SV%, 2 SO) is projected to start for the Kings, while Andrei Vasilevskiy (9-9-0, 3.01 GAA, .895 SV%, 1 SO) is the expected netminder for the Lightning.
Talbot coughed up four goals on 34 shots in the opening game of the road trip Sunday against the Washington Capitals, and he is 0-3-1 in his past four outings, although goal support was an issue in the prior three starts, with L.A. giving him just four total goals of offensive in three-plus games.
Vasilevskiy was pounded for six goals on Boston on just 25 shots on Saturday, and he is 1-2-0 with a 3.39 GAA and .868 SV% in three starts since New Year's Day, and 0-4-1 across his past five outings with three or more goals allowed in four of those assignments.
In recent seasons, the Lightning have absolutely dominated this series, winning 12 of the past 14 battles, including seven in a row on home ice. The Kings haven't won in Tampa since Feb. 7, 2015. That trend, and the fact the Kings are struggling overall lately, make the Lightning the play Tuesday night at even-money.
There are so many ways to get in on the NHL betting action this season. Customers can get thousands of dollars in bonuses by taking advantage of the best sportsbook promo codes available across the best sports betting sites. ESPN BET launched in November of 2023 and the ESPN BET promo code -- ROTO -- gets new customers $150 in bonus bets when they make their first wager. ESPN BET accepts a variety of payment options, such as credit card and PayPal.
- Lightning ML (+100 at FanDuel)
The Kings have managed just 10 total goals across the past five outings, or 2.0 GPG, and the Under has cashed in four of the past six games overall. We saw L.A. allowed four goals in the past two games, but defense and goaltending have been the team's calling card all season, even when the offense takes the night off. The offense should be able to find itself against a goaltender who has been rather uneven lately.
The Over is 2-1-1 in the past four games for the home side, as Vasilevskiy has been just mediocre, and the offense is still doing good things. Tampa Bay have some trouble solving Talbot, although he has been a little more giving lately.
The Tampa Bay offense is good for 26 goals in the past six games against Western Conference opponents just since Dec. 14, while allowing 3.0 GPG in those outings, with four or more goals allowed on four occasions.
The Over is the lean, although I'd still go with more of a half-unit play, as Talbot's overall body of work suggests an Under. Some shops are offering a flat six, but you can also roll the dice on the Over at plus-money, too.
The BetMGM bonus code gets hockey fans $158 in bonus bets when they sign up using code ROTOBONUS .
- Over 6.5 (+105 at ESPN BET)
We have a lot of offensive firepower on both sides of the rink, and we'll keep it simple with a couple of anytime scorers, including one from each side.
NHL player props page to find the best prices on your favorite wagers each day of the season. RotoWire has just launched a new props section so make sure to check out our Best NHL props tool to help you make your best betting decisions.
For the visitors, Adrian Kempe has been red-hot lately, including a power-play goal to kick off the road trip in D.C. The 27-year-old Swede has lit the lamp three times in the past two games, while going for six goals and nine points across the past seven outings. Despite the hot streak, he is plus-money, and you can nearly double up your initial wager. Sign me up.
- Adrian Kempe Anytime Goal Scorer (+185 at FanDuel)
On the flip side, and again, we're keeping it simple, Nikita Kucherov has been insanely hot lately. He has points in six straight games, including goals in five of those outings. In fact, he has two or more points in three of the past four games, too, if you want to go with Over 1.5 Points (-113 at FanDuel, too). However, he is a better value at plus-money as simply an Anytime Goal Scorer.
