Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Los Angeles Kings are on a three-game winning streak.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have won two of their last three.
• The Kings were 2-0-0 against the Penguins last season.

Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins Predictions and Picks

Pittsburgh Penguins beat Los Angeles Kings 4-2

Pittsburgh Penguins cover

Under 6 .5goals

Head-to-Head: Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins Predictions and Picks

The Los Angeles Kings will fly across the country to battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Kings and Penguins only played each other twice last season, and Los Angeles won both games. However, the Penguins can flip the script this year if they win this game.

Both of these teams made playoffs last year but did not get the results they desired. They were both knocked out in the First Round and forced to look to this season. 

This season may be less than two weeks old, but the Kings have put together some strong performances so far. They lost their first two games in regulation but won their previous three behind some strong offensive performances. Their offense sputtered through their opening two games but stepped up in the last three and scored 16 goals.

Three players have stood out through the Kings’ first five games: Gabriel Vilardi, Anze Kopitar, and Adrian Kempe. Obviously, Gabriel Vilardi is the surprise of this group. Vilardi only played in 25 games for the Kings last year but has been on a tear this year; he has seven points (four goals, three assists) and a +/- of three. Unlike Vilardi, Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe are not surprising anyone with their effective performances. Kopitar may be 35 years old, but he is bound to have another strong season this year. The veteran has one goal and five assists. Finally, we have Adrian Kempe. Kempe is a playmaker and has four goals this season.

The Kings’ kryponite is their goaltending. Their goaltending duo of Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen is one of the worst in the league and is giving up 4.2 goals a game.

The Penguins have put together a strong roster with a handful of playmakers. They will make another run this year and be a tough team to beat.

The Penguins, like the Kings, maintained much of their roster, and in this case, that is not a bad thing. They are led by veterans Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Jake Guentzel, and Evgeni Malkin. All of these players have at least two goals and four points this year. If these four stay healthy, the Penguins will be dangerous.

The Penguins have one of the NHL’s best netminders in Tristan Jarry. Jarry has started two of the Penguins’ three games and has an incredible save percentage of .938.

The Penguins have much better goaltending than the Kings and are playing at home, so they will win this game.

Why Might the Los Angeles Kings Win?

The Los Angeles Kings are the underdogs but can win if they limit the Penguins’ shots and take shots near the net.

The Kings’ goaltending is their largest issue. Their goaltenders cannot be trusted to save 40 shots a game. I say 40 shots because the Penguins are averaging 42 shots a game. The Kings defensemen need to step up and limit the Penguins’ shooting.

The Kings will likely face Tristan Jarry tonight. Jarry is an elite goalie and often a brick wall in net. Los Angeles needs to increase their chances against Jarry by getting shots close to the net and looking for rebounds.

Why Might the Pittsburgh Penguins Win?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the better team but can lose if they become complacent. Pittsburgh needs to slow down Los Angeles’ centers and take as many shots as possible.

The Kings’ center trio of Gabriel Vilardi, Anze Kopitar, and Adrian Kempe is responsible for almost half of their team’s goals. Vilardi, Kopitar, and Kempe have scored nine of the Kings’ 19 goals. They are clearly the best scorers on the team right now and must be stopped.

The Penguins’ success can largely be attributed to their vicious scoring attack. As I mentioned above, they are averaging 42 shots a game. They will face one of the Kings’ sub-par goaltenders tonight, and have to take advantage of that by shooting as much as possible.

Kings Key Players: (C) Gabriel Vilardi 

Is anyone surprised by this choice? Most Kings fans probably did not know who Gabriel Vilardi was last year, but they know who he is now. Vilardi cannot stop scoring. The Kingston, Ontario native has four goals and has only taken 11 shots.

The Kings will need a lot of offense tonight, so Vilardi must play his role and put at least one in the back of the net.

Penguins Key Player: (C) Sidney Crosby

This is also not a surprisig choice. Once again, Sidney Crosby is off to a hot start. He is playing almost 19 minutes a game and has two goals and four assists.

Crosby does not need to score tonight (although it would be helpful), but he must at least set up his teammates with scoring opportunities.

How to Watch Kings vs Penguins