The Xcel Energy Center plays host to a Western Conference showdown as the Minnesota Wild prepare to face the visiting Los Angeles Kings. Fox Sports West will air the action, which gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 25.
Los Angeles Kings at Minnesota Wild Odds
Los Angeles (+135) is entering this one as the underdog to Minnesota (-155), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -120 for the under and +100 for the over.
Producing 0.3 units for moneyline bettors, Minnesota is 4-4 straight up (SU) overall this year. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 45-37 record that the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Among its eight games this season, three have gone under the total, while three have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 3-2 SU at home so far this year.
The Wild have successfully scored on 13.6 percent of their power play opportunities in 2018-19. That’s a big drop-off from last season, when they were ranked 16th in the league by scoring on 20.6 percent of their extra-man opportunities. Their penalty kill has gotten stronger year-over-year as they’ve gone from successfully defending 80.9 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 12th overall last season) to 82.4 percent this year.
The Wild, as a collective unit, have been penalized 5.3 times per game this season, a number that’s swelled from last year’s 3.8 penalties per game the team gave up. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 11.3 minutes per outing this year.
With a .944 save percentage and 36.7 saves per game, Devan Dubnyk (3-3-2) has been the principal goalkeeper for Minnesota this season. If head coach Bruce Boudreau decides to give him the evening off, however, the team may go with Alex Stalock (1-1-1 record, .879 save percentage, 3.45 goals against average).
Zach Parise and Jason Zucker will both be focal points for the Wild. Parise (10 points) has put up three goals and seven assists while Zucker has four goals and three assists to his credit so far in the early stages of the season.
On the other bench, Los Angeles is 2-7 straight up (SU) and has lost 7.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through nine regular season matches, four of its games have gone over the total, while another four have gone under the total and just one has pushed. The Kings are 1-4 SU as the away team this season.
The Kings have scored on 10.0 percent of their power play chances this year after converting on 19.8 percent of their extra-man opportunities last season (a percentage that was right in line with the league average). The team’s gone from killing off 85.3 percent of opponent power plays (ranked first overall last season) to 70.8 percent this year.
Los Angeles’ players have been penalized only 3.4 times per game this season, a number that is fairly close to the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.8 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 8.4 minutes per matchup this year.
Jack Campbell (2.80 goals against average and .917 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for Los Angeles. Campbell is averaging 23.8 saves per game and owns a 2-4 record.
Alex Iafallo (two goals, five assists) has been one of the top playmaking threats for the visiting Kings.
Los Angeles Kings vs. Minnesota Wild Free Picks
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Notes
Betting Notes
Los Angeles has allowed 3.6 goals per game overall this year, but has given up 5.0 goals per matchup over its last five games (0-5 SU over that span).
The Kings are 1-5 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 1-6 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total.
After going 3-3 in games decided by a shootout last year, the Wild are off to a 0-1 start in shootouts this season. Los Angeles was 2-1 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
The over has hit in three of Los Angeles’ last five outings.
Minnesota is averaging 2.8 goals per game on its three-game winning streak.
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