Liontips
Los Angeles vs. Minnesota: NHL Match Prediction
On December 8, the local "kings" will host guests from Minneapolis on their home ice in California. Both teams are among the leaders of the Western Conference and do not intend to simply give away points to their opponents. "Los Angeles" has won four games in a row, but "Minnesota" has five victories in a row. In early November, the "kings" crushed the "wild" on the road. Will John Hynes' charges take revenge? Read our forecast
Command Analysis
Los Angeles Kings
USACurrent form
The Kings have found excellent form and are back in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Jim Hiller’s team currently has 33 points after 26 games, seven points behind the conference leader. Los Angeles quickly recovered from a crushing defeat in San Jose (2:7) and achieved a major success at home in a game against Winnipeg (2:1). The Kings finished last month with a minimal victory in Anaheim (2:1), after which they returned home and confidently dealt with the guests from Ottawa (5:2) and Dallas (3:2). In the game against the Stars, the hosts were down by two goals, but turned the confrontation around in less than 20 minutes.
Los Angeles has added reliability, but throughout the fall, the Californians have played strong defense at home. Anze Kopitar squad is allowing 2.08 goals per game on the ice of the Crypto.com Arena. David Rittich became the team main goalie due to Darcy Kuemper injury. The Czech goalie has blocked only 89.36% of shots and has not made a single shutout in the regular season.
The captain of the hosts remains the main star of the team. The Slovenian forward is having another strong season and can already boast 30 points (8+22) in the goal+pass system. Adrian Kempe follows him with 24 points (12+12) and is the club top scorer at the moment.
Disqualifications and injuries
Trevor Lewis, Drew Doughty, Darcy Kuemper, Caleb Jones, Akil Thomas and Artur Kaliyev will be out for the win over Minnesota.
Interesting trends for betting
- On average, Los Angeles takes at least 27 shots per game.
The Kings are targeting the opposing goal, but they prefer to play the puck until it right.
- Statistically, the Kings are receiving 8.92 penalty minutes.
Los Angeles is not known for its good discipline and usually gets sent off at least four times per game
Minnesota Wild
USACurrent form
Minnesota has taken the lead in the conference amid Winnipeg weak performance. The Wild have scored 40 points in 26 games and have demonstrated excellent play throughout the regular season. John Hynes' men have won five games in a row, and in all of them they have played well on their half of the ice. The Wild have achieved success in home games against Chicago (3:2), Nashville (3:2, OT) and Vancouver (3:2, OT). The away tour of the Minneapolis club began with a confident victory in Anaheim (5:1). He scored three times in the second period in literally five minutes and did not allow the Ducks to get close to him.
The visitors are playing defense and allowing only 2.35 goals per game on average. Minnesota hasn't allowed its opponents to score more than twice in a game in five games in a row. Filip Gustavsson is one of the most reliable goalies in the league. The Swedish goalie has stopped 93.08% of shots and made two shutouts in 20 starts.
Kirill Kaprizov has regained his leadership in the league scoring list. The Russian forward has 42 scoring actions (17+25) and is very good both in finishing and in assisting his partners. Matthew Boldy is the second violin for the Wild with 27 points (12+15).
Disqualifications and injuries
Jonas Brodin, Joel Eriksson, Jakub Lauko and Mats Zuccarello will not play in California.
Interesting trends for betting
- Minnesota is 28-17 in goals scored and allowed in the second period.
The Wild have had their best second period in terms of reliability and they have scored quite a few themselves.
- The Savages are winning 49.3 percent of their faceoffs.
The visitors look good at the point and often win the puck for their teammates.
Trends
Bet 1st period: total under 1.5 goals
In four of the six previous matches between the teams, the first period was not productive.
1.85Bet 2nd period: Minnesota to score
The Wild have scored against the Kings in the second period in their previous two games.
1.57Tip and bets
Los Angeles is very strong in California and plays great defense, but Anze Kopitar squad does not always have enough attacking edge. Minnesota is a team that can hold off absolutely any opponent, and the Wild have Kirill Kaprizov, who is the best forward in the league today. So far, the Wild have lost only four times on the road, and only once in regulation time. We think they can take two points on the ice of the Crypto.com arena.
Prediction - Minnesota wins the match for 2.20
Bet on individual total
Los Angeles will have a tough time against Minnesota, which is currently one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. The Wild are allowing only 2.35 goals per game, and on the road, this figure is even better - 2.2 goals per game on average. The Kings score a little more at home, but it is unlikely to play a role in a match against such a strong defense.
We take the individual total of Los Angeles less than three goals with a coefficient of 1.72
Total Bet
Both teams prefer to act with an eye on their own goal and do not open up. In recent years, meetings between the opponents have been quite productive, but only once in the six previous personal meetings did the teams score more than six goals between them. We believe that the game will be closed and will not please with an abundance of goals scored.
We bet on a total of less than six goals with a coefficient of 1.55
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