The Los Angeles Kings (32-19-7) visit the New Jersey Devils (37-15-5) Thursday at the Prudential Center in Newark. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Kings vs. Devils odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Los Angeles is 7-2-1 over its last 10 games and has moved into 2nd place in the Pacific Division. The Kings have netted 4.0 goals per game over that surge and have connected for 10 power-play markers.
The Devils had a 6-game home win streak snapped Tuesday when they lost 5-2 to the Montreal Canadiens. New Jersey lost by 3 despite outshooting the Habs 40-18.
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Kings at Devils odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:48 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Kings +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Devils -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Kings +1.5 (-200) | Devils -1.5 (+165)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Kings at Devils projected goalies
Pheonix Copley (17-4-1, 2.67 GAA, .904 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Vitek Vanecek (24-6-3, 2.35 GAA, .914 SV%, 2 SO)
Copley has logged a .945 SV% in 4 games since the All-Star break. The 31-year-old has sometimes struggled on the road, though, where he has posted an .899 mark in 13 games.
Vanecek coughed up 4 goals on just 17 shots in his last start (Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens). He had registered a .932 SV%, however, across his 3 previous starts.
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Kings at Devils picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 4, Kings 3
Moneyline
The Devils took meeting No. 1 in the 2-game season series 5-2 in L.A. on Jan. 14. The Kings out-chanced New Jersey in that game but did not score any even-strength goals (both L.A. tallies were on the powerplay).
Despite the strong Los Angeles powerplay that has also been red-hot since that meeting (30.6%), the Kings have had trouble on the road recently. They are 1-2-1 over their last 4 games away from home.
New Jersey is a lightly-penalized club (8.4 minutes per game for the season, 6.7 MPG last 10), and its puck-possession and faceoff percentages have been strong of late.
The Devils have not lost back-to-back games since late December. TAKE NEW JERSEY (-145).
Puck line/Against the spread
Avoiding New Jersey’s recent proclivity for tight games: PASS.
Over/Under
The market looks to be dialed in on this number, a slight lean to the low side of a total of 6 or 7. No argument here. AVOID.
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