The Vegas Golden Knights (20-6-1) have a target on their backs as the first-place team in the NHL’s West Division. Hoping to chase them down, the Los Angeles Kings (12-10-6) are fighting to get back into the playoff picture.
Vegas has won both of the previous meetings between these two, winning 5-2 and 4-3 on Feb. 5 and 7, respectively. The Kings have picked up at least one point in five of their past nine games and won at home Wednesday against St. Louis.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have won their past four games, sweeping their series with the Blues and Sharks after being swept by the Minnesota Wild.
Looking at the NHL odds for Friday’s game, Vegas is the road favorite at -165. The home Kings are +140. Puck drop is at 10 pm ET.
Vegas Golden Knights Preview
Few teams in the league are hotter than the Golden Knights right now. With an 8-2-0 record in their past 10 games, a plus-29 goal differential on the season, and one of the league’s best goaltenders in Marc-André Fleury, Vegas looks like the team to beat out West.
It starts with the leadership from captain Mark Stone, who leads the team in points (10 goals, 24 assists) and is tied for seventh in the league with 34 points. Proficient in his own zone as well, he leads all forwards in takeaways and takeaways/60.
The team has an incredible 14.9 shooting percentage when Stone is on the ice. He should be in the Selke Trophy conversation at the end of the season as one of the league’s top defensive forwards.
Fleury will likely be in the awards conversation for the Vezina Trophy for top goaltender. He leads the league in save percentage (.933) and goals-against average (1.87).
He’s second in wins behind Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and has an impressive 8.13 goals saved above average. Fleury is likely the starter on Friday night.
Alex Tuch and Chandler Stephenson missed Wednesday’s game against San Jose, but both may be returning to the ice Friday. Keep an eye on their statuses ahead of puck drop. Top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is not expected to play.
Los Angeles Kings Preview
The Kings have been one of the NHL’s surprise teams this season. They’re performing well above expectations after finishing one point above last place in the Western Conference a year ago.
Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown have revitalized their careers this year. Kopitar has more assists (26) than anyone else on the team has points.
Meanwhile, Brown has 13 goals in 26 games. He now sits four goals behind last season’s total of 17, which took him 66 games to produce. Brown has missed the last two games with an injury but should return to the lineup Friday.
Calvin Petersen is looking more like the goaltender of the future with each start. He’s expected between the pipes Friday night. This season, Petersen has a 5-6-4 record, along with a 2.54 GAA and a .922 save percentage.
Petersen’s recent performance could lead to the Kings trading Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline, provided they can find a trade partner. After this season, Quick has two years remaining on his contract with a $5.8 million cap hit each season.
The Kings would likely have to retain some salary, but for a building team, moving Quick for draft capital could yield a big return.
Martin Frk and Johan Sodergren are the only other names on the injury report. Neither is expected to play Friday.
The Pick is In
Vegas winning this game seems incredibly likely to me. I’m tempted to take the Golden Knights on the puck line to win by at least two goals. The odds there are +155 in our online sportsbook.
If Tuch and Stephenson are in the lineup, the Golden Knights have the offensive depth to run up the score and the defensive style to shut down the Kings, especially if Brown is out of the lineup.
Pending the injury report, I’m taking the Golden Knights on the -1½ puck line.
When doing your NHL betting, go with the Golden Knights -1½.
