The New York Islanders visit the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night, with puck drop set for 10:00 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Los Angeles is a -125 favorite on the Moneyline, while the total is set at O/U 5.5 goals.
Below, I’ll break down the matchup and provide my top Kings vs. Islanders prediction and best bet.
Kings vs. Islanders Odds
| Market | New York Islanders | Los Angeles Kings |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +105 | -125 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-238) | -1.5 (+195) |
| Total | Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110) |
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.
Kings vs. Islanders Betting Preview
Los Angeles Kings Outlook
The Kings sport a poor 2-6-0 record on home ice and enter Thursday night coming off a 3-0 loss to Nashville on Tuesday. Plus, they’ve been outscored 21-10 in third periods, losing the final frame in 10 of their 16 games. They even needed overtime to beat Ottawa 6-5 on Oct. 29 after carrying a four-goal lead into the third period.
The club’s overall process has been better than the 5-9-2 record suggests. Los Angeles owns a 50.8% xGoals share (13th) and allows just 2.96 xGoals against per 60 (12th), but its 3.39 goals against per 60 rank 23rd, and the finishing hasn’t bailed it out, with 1.94 5v5 goals per 60 (T-27th) on 2.32 5v5 xGoals per 60 (21st). Artemi Panarin (8G, 10A) leads the team in goals, assists and points, and the Panarin-Laferriere-Kempe line has controlled 61.0% of the 5v5 xGoals while outscoring opponents 8-2 in 114 minutes. Drew Doughty (lower body) missed practice Wednesday after getting hurt against Nashville, while Kevin Fiala (lower leg) is expected to make his season debut. Darcy Kuemper is expected to start, and that’s the real area of concern for Los Angeles. He is 5-4-1 with an .878 SV% and 3.53 GAA, and his -4.8 GSAx and -0.88% SV% above expected rank 65th and 57th, respectively, among 75 goaltenders.
New York Islanders Outlook
The Islanders are on the second stop of a three-game West Coast trip after a 3-2 shootout loss in San Jose on Monday, and they’ve needed extra time in five of their past 10 outings. Over that 10-game stretch, New York’s 5v5 offense has picked up a bit, generating 2.90 xGoals per 60 (third), but those games have still been pretty wide open, as it has allowed the same 2.90 5v5 xGoals against per 60 (31st).
That puts pressure on Ilya Sorokin, who will likely get the start after facing 91 shots across his past two outings, making 45 saves against New Jersey and 39 more in San Jose. He’s 6-4-2 with a .914 SV% and 2.57 GAA, and his +7.3 GSAx ranks eighth, with his +1.05% SV% above expected sitting 15th. If Semyon Varlamov goes instead, his +4.8 GSAx ranks 16th, so there isn’t much of a drop off there, a small luxury that not many teams can afford. Bo Horvat (7G, 10A) and Matthew Schaefer (5G, 12A) share the team lead with 17 points, and Brayden Schenn (5G, 8A) sits in third. Mathew Barzal (knee) has yet to play this season, though he was upgraded to day-to-day on Monday, so his time is coming soon. The penalty kill has been a strength, too, ranking fourth (86.7%).
Kings vs. Islanders Prediction and Best Bet
Los Angeles has won each of the past five meetings, including a 3-2 overtime win on Oct. 22, but that streak can’t mean much against a Kings team that sports a 2-6-0 home record. The goaltending is the biggest factor for me, from Sorokin’s eighth-ranked GSAx to Kuemper’s 65th. Plus, the special teams lean New York, too, with its penalty kill ranking fourth while the Kings’ penalty kill ranks 30th (65.4%). The money seems to agree, as the Islanders hold 91% of the Moneyline handle despite drawing just 41% of the bets.
Best Bet: Islanders Moneyline (+105)
Advanced stats courtesy of MoneyPuck.
