Kings vs Blues NHL Prediction, Pick and Preview, 03/04/23

Odds

2021-2022 season stats

Preview

The Los Angeles Kings are set to host the St. Louis Blues in a Western Conference matchup on Saturday night. The Kings will look to extend their home winning streak to five games, while the Blues will try to snap a two-game losing skid. The Kings are currently in second place in the Pacific Division, while the Blues sit in sixth place in the Central Division.

St Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues are looking to snap a two-game losing skid when they take on the Kings on Saturday night. The Blues are currently 26-29-5 on the season, good for sixth place in the Central Division. They are coming off of a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, where they received goals from Mike Hoffman and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Offensively, the Blues are led by Robert Thomas, who has 14 goals and 37 assists on the season. Other players to watch on the Blues' offense include Ryan O'Reilly, who has 22 goals and 32 assists on the season, and David Perron, who has 17 goals and 29 assists on the season.

Defensively, the Blues are anchored by goaltender Jordan Binnington. Binnington has struggled this season, posting a 14-19-4 record with a 2.93 goals against average and a .905 save percentage. He has also recorded just one shutout on the season. The Blues' defense has also struggled this season, allowing 3.1 goals per game, which is the 20th-best mark in the league.

The Blues' special teams have been a mixed bag this season. Their power play is just average, converting on 19.9% of their opportunities, which is the 16th-best mark in the league. Their penalty kill, however, has been strong, killing off 82.9% of their opponents' power plays, which is the eighth-best mark in the league.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are playing some of their best hockey of the season right now, having won seven of their last ten games. They are coming off of a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, where they received goals from four different players. The Kings are now 34-20-8 on the season, good for second place in the Pacific Division. They have been especially strong at home, going 18-9-2 at the Staples Center this season.

Offensively, the Kings are led by veteran center Anze Kopitar, who has 24 goals and 33 assists on the season. Kopitar has been the Kings' best player all season and will be key to their success down the stretch. Other players to watch on the Kings' offense include Adrian Kempe, who has six goals and three assists over his last ten games, and Alex Iafallo, who has 13 goals and 21 assists on the season.

Defensively, the Kings are anchored by goaltender Jonathan Quick. Quick has been solid this season, posting a 19-9-5 record with a 2.49 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. He has also recorded four shutouts on the season. The Kings' defense has been solid as well, allowing just 2.6 goals per game, which is the fifth-best mark in the league.

The Kings have also been strong on special teams this season. They have the seventh-best power play in the league, converting on 22.3% of their opportunities. Their penalty kill is also solid, killing off 84.7% of their opponents' power plays, which is the sixth-best mark in the league.

BETTING TRENDS

St. Louis are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games.

St. Louis are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road.

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis' last 7 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles.

St. Louis are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.

The total has gone OVER in 10 of Los Angeles' last 14 games.

Los Angeles are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games.

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Los Angeles' last 10 games against St. Louis.

Los Angeles are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home.

Prediction

With their recent form and impressive home record, the Kings should have the edge over a struggling Blues side. Additionally, their offensive firepower, led by the likes of Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, should be enough to overcome the Blues' defense, which has struggled at times this season.

The Kings will also have the advantage of playing at home, where they have been dominant this season. They will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak at home and maintain their position near the top of the Pacific Division standings. The Blues, on the other hand, will need to find a way to win on the road, something that they have struggled with all season.

Overall, the Kings have the advantage in this matchup and should come away with a win. Their strong play at home, combined with their recent form and offensive firepower, make them a tough team to beat. Look for Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe to lead the way for the Kings as they continue their push towards the playoffs.

PICK: Kings ML (-200)

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