Los Angeles Kings vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The Los Angeles Kings hit the road tonight to face the Utah Hockey Club with puck drop set for 9 p.m. ET at the Delta Center. The Kings are all but locked into the playoffs, but Utah isn’t quite eliminated from a wild card slot. While the Kings come in as the slight road favorites at -130, Utah does carry some value at +110 on the moneyline, but when you look at these teams, even that value might not be enough.

Betting Odds and Key Matchup Notes

The Kings are 42-23-9 and trending fairly well right now as they’ve won 7 of their last 10. Utah sits at 34-29-12 and is trying to stay above water in the wild card chase, though the door is closing quickly. The total is set at 5.5, and looking at recent trends, we think this number could be tested.

Over their last 10, Utah games have averaged 5.9 total goals, while Kings games have hit 5.4 goals per game. Both teams are leaning slightly toward the over, with Utah cashing it in 5 of their last 10.

Los Angeles has been outscoring their season averages lately, with 1.4 more goals per game than their overall pace. As far as their offense goes, they’ve been smoking hot, and they’ll look to carry that into Salt Lake City where the environment is likely to be a bit looser defensively.

Who Has the Edge?

The Kings are undoubtedly leaning on a mix of high-end talent and hot goaltending.

Adrian Kempe has been a consistent scorer as he leads the team with 32 goals and 62 points. On the other end of the ice, Darcy Kuemper has quietly been one of the league’s steadiest netminders, sporting a solid 2.1 GAA and .919 save percentage. That puts him as the #2 goalie in the NHL only behind Hellebuyck. He’s definitely elite.

But don’t sleep on Utah. Clayton Keller is the engine of the team as he leads them with a respectable 80 points. He’s the kind of player who can take over a game, especially at home. And while Karel Vejmelka hasn’t been what we’d call elite between the pipes, his .905 save percentage is solid enough if Utah can control the puck and stay disciplined for a full 60 minutes.

One potential edge for Utah? Energy. They’re the fresher team and playing at home, where they’ve traditionally been better against quality opponents like the Kings. They’ve also covered the puck line in 6 of their last 10 and are keeping things tight even when losing.

On the blue line though, the Kings bring a level of structure Utah hasn’t consistently shown. Warren Foegele’s +33 plus-minus is no accident. That entire Kings blue line has been quietly dominant in limiting quality looks, closing out the shooting lanes, getting blocks, and staying out of trouble. They’re the total package in their own zone.

Our Best Bet and Prediction

Utah has value and that’s something we’re always looking for. They’re scrappy, and they’re better at home. But when it comes to consistency and finishing, Los Angeles simply checks more boxes and we can’t overlook that fact. They’re in better form, they’ve got the more reliable goaltender, and their stars are playing their best hockey of the season.

This is a spot where talent wins out. Even though it’s on the road, the Kings are the better team in every major area — scoring depth, defensive responsibility, and goaltending.

We’re not overthinking this one, we’re going with the easy win even if it isn’t as loaded with value like the other options. Sometimes plus money is just a bridge too far.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Kings 4, Utah 2
• Best Bet: Kings -130 on the moneyline

It might be a little sweaty early, but we fully expect Los Angeles to pull away late and grab another road win to strengthen their playoff seeding. Also, if you’re looking for an extra bump in value and don’t mind sweating a bit more, the puck line for LA is -1.5 at +195. Frankly, we think this game is going to be too close for that, but it might be worth it for some.