The Staples Center will be hosting an enticing showdown as the Los Angeles Kings take on the visiting Minnesota Wild. The opening face-off is at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 8, and fans at home can watch this Western Conference matchup live on Fox Sports West.
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings Odds
The money line for either side is currently set at an identical -110 and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -120 for the over and +100 for the under.
Minnesota is 8-6 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. Seven of its matches have gone over the total, while six have gone under and just one has pushed. The Wild are 3-4 SU on the road in 2018-19.
Minnesota has converted on 19.6 percent of its power play opportunities thus far. That mark hasn’t moved a lot from last season, when it was ranked 16th in the NHL by scoring on 20.6 percent of its extra-man opportunities. Its penalty kill has gotten stronger year-over-year, as the team has gone from successfully defending 80.9 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 12th overall last season) to 85.2 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, Minnesota has been whistled for penalties 4.7 times per game this season, a number that has regressed some from the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 10.1 minutes per outing this season.
Sporting a .930 save percentage and 30.2 saves per game, Devan Dubnyk (6-5-2) has been the best option in goal for Minnesota this season. If head coach Bruce Boudreau decides to rest him, however, the team may turn to Alex Stalock (2-1), who has a .895 save percentage and 3.30 goals against average this year.
Mikael Granlund and Ryan Suter will both spearhead the attack for the visiting Wild. Granlund has 13 points on six goals and seven assists, and has recorded two or more points three times. Suter has three goals and 10 assists to his name (and has notched a point in seven games).
On the other bench, Los Angeles is 5-9 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 14 regular season outings, seven of its games have gone under the total, while six have gone over and just one has pushed. So far this year, the team is 4-4 SU as the home team.
Los Angeles has converted on 16.7 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.9 percent of all opponent power plays.
Los Angeles skaters have been sent to the penalty box only 3.7 times per game this season, a number that’s pretty close to the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.8 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to kill penalties for 9.1 minutes per matchup this year.
Jack Campbell has stopped 24.5 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for Los Angeles. Campbell has five wins and six losses to his name and has maintained a .918 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average this year.
The Kings will be led on offense by Ilya Kovalchuk (five goals, nine assists).
Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings Betting Predictions
NHL Tip: SU Winner – Kings, O/U – Over
