The road team has won four of the last five meetings, as the Kings look to make it five of six while bringing an end to a two-game skid during this road trip.
Sitting on an 8-4-1 win streak with Best Bets, and tonight I'm in the Pacific Division for the Los Angeles Kings' visit to Vancouver for a date with the Canucks.
While the Kings have maintained their status in the division, currently sitting firmly in third place thanks to a dominating 14-2-1 home mark, the Canucks are trying to stay relevant in the playoff conversation.
Vancouver is in fifth place in the division, but is just one point back of the second Wild Card spot, behind Calgary.
This is a critical game for both teams.
Let's do a deep dive into this one:
WHY LOS ANGELES: The Kings continue their five-game road trip after taking five days off during the wildfires, and have opened the trip 1-2. They've lost two straight, in Calgary and Edmonton, and should be due for a win after winning five straight prior to the two-game skid. The Kings are 13-4-2 since Nov. 27, and at some point have to find their offense again.
WHY VANCOUVER: The Canucks return home after five straight and seven of eight on the road, and certainly would love nothing more than to start their three-game homestand on a winning note. This could be a prime opportunity against a weary Kings team that will be playing its fourth road game in seven nights.
All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
THE PICK: Kings -110 -- I'm going to look for a big road game from Los Angeles, which I believe still has the wherewithal to shake free of the offensive sluggishness and come out swinging. Just because the Kings are playing their fourth roadie in seven nights, doesn't mean the Canucks are doing the same in some fashion. They just played five road games in nine days, so tonight will make it six games in six arenas over 11 nights. They'll be just as tired. And keep in mind, since opening the season 13-7-3, the Canucks are 6-7-7. I like the road team here.
(Season Record: 13-14-1, Net: -230$, based on 100$ units)