Welcome back to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Sports! Each day of the NHL season, we preview and analyze games to give our predictions. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at a game between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers taking place at Madison Square Garden. Be sure to check back each day to follow along with our predictions!
Time: 1 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time)
TV: ESPN+, FanDuel Sportsnetwork, MSG Network
Continuing along with their East Coast road trip, the Kings take on the New York Rangers. The Kings will look to get things back on track following their first loss in six games. The loss came at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night, and snapped the Kings long win streak. New York, on the other hand, will try to build on their Wednesday victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Los Angeles will need to get their offence going against the Rangers. They’ve had success during the win streak, but will need their offence to level up to take home a win against the Rangers. The Rangers have one of the best goalie tandems in the league, so generating chances and goals will be very important. They’ll likely be facing Igor Shesterkin in net, the highest paid goalie in the league after his contract one week ago.
The defensive side of the game will be interesting for the Kings. The Kings have one of the best defences in the league, and it will be put to test against dynamic offensive talents on the Rangers. The Kings have been playing in 11/7 format for their recent games, deploying 11 forwards and 7 defenceman. Look for Los Angeles to turn to Darcy Kuemper in net. Kuemper received the night off against the Devils, as David Rittich got the start. Kuemper has eight wins in 12 games against the Rangers.
The Rangers have been looking to shake things up after an underwhelming start to the season. They currently are ranked fifth in the Metropolitan Division. Last week, the Rangers traded their captain, Jacob Trouba, to the Anaheim Ducks. This comes after several trade rumors have been flying around the Rangers.
Despite the pressure the Rangers are under, they still have one of the most talented rosters in the NHL, as shown by their run to the Eastern Conference Finals in last year’s playoffs. They still have so much talent offensively, scoring a solid 3.18 goals per game. They are led offensively by Artemi Panarin in both goals (15) and points (35). Defensively, Adam Fox leads the way along with their solid goalie tandem. If the Rangers can get everything working in harmony, they should be able to return to the heights they’ve been known to play at.
Jonathan Quick will once again play against his former team. A Los Angeles Kings legend, Quick spent over 15 seasons with the team, leading them to two Stanley Cups before the shocking trade that sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23. Quick has played in only 2 games against his former team, going 1-1, allowing only 3 goals across both games.
The Rangers will count on their offence to get things done in this game. The Kings defence is one of the best in the leagues, but the question they will need to answer is how will their offence perform? If the offense can provide enough support for their defence, the Kings should be able to win. However, facing one of the best goalies in the league, this will not be easy. The Kings struggled to generate shots in their last game against another offensive team in the New Jersey Devils. If they have a repeat performance, they’ll have a tough time defeating the Rangers.
Final Prediction: New York Rangers over Los Angeles Kings 2-1
For goal scorers, Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin are good bets for their teams. Kempe leads the Kings in goals with 14 and is listed by FanDuel Sportsbook as +210 to score. Panarin leads the Rangers with 15 goals and is listed as +180.
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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