In this article, we will formulate a Kings vs Penguins Prediction for this NHL game on Monday, January 20th at the Crypto.com Arena. Let’s take a look at a Pittsburgh Penguins vs LA Kings Pick.
Can Penguins Bounce Back?
The Penguins in the last game faced off against the Washington Capitals and they didn’t play all that well. The Penguins only scored one goal while the defense gave up four goals and that led to the defeat. Bryan Rust had a strong game scoring a goal, but the rest of the offense couldn’t get anything going. Joel Blomqvist was in goal and he saved 28 of the 31 shots that he faced.
Two games ago against the Buffalo Sabres they were better and they ended up winning 5-2. The Penguins are averaging 2.96 goals while their defense is giving up 3.65 goals per game. The offense is ranked 17th in the league while the defense is ranked 32nd. They are facing 31.15 shots per game which is 30th in the league. Sidney Crosby has scored 12 goals and added 37 assists so far this season. After this game, Pittsburgh will meet the Ducks, Kraken, and Sharks.
Kings Look to Bounce Back
The Kings went on the road in the last game on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken and they ended up losing 4-2. At the end of the first period, the game was tied 2-2, but as the game went on they struggled and that led to the defeat. Adrian Kempe scored a goal, but it wasn’t enough as the defense really let them down. Two games ago, the Canucks faced off against the Vancouver Canucks, and they ended up winning 5-1.
The Kings are averaging 2.97 goals while their defense is giving up 2.41 goals per game. The offense is naked 16th in the league while the defense is ranked 2nd. Opponents are only managing 24.7 shots against them which is the top in the NHL. Anze Kopitar has scored 12 goals and added 30 assists so far this season. Getting the start for the Kings will be Darcy Kuemper he sits with a 13-4-5 record overall and he is giving up 2.10 goals per game.
Why the Kings Will Beat the Penguins
- The Kings have won each of their last nine home games.
- The Penguins have lost seven of their last eight road games against Pacific Division opponents.
- The Kings have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight home games following a road loss.
- The Penguins have failed to cover the puck line in four of their last five games at Crypto.com Arena.
- The Penguins have lost the second period in six of their last seven night games at Crypto.com Arena.
Kings vs Penguins Prediction
These two offenses are similar, the big difference is with the defense for both of these teams. The Kings’ defense is ranked 2nd in all of the NHL while the Penguins’ offense is ranked 32nd. The Kings are averaging 2.97 goals per game and their offense is going to get out to a fast start. The Penguins will have no answer the Kings are going to cruise. Back the Kings on the puck line.