Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks odds, picks and best bets
The Los Angeles Kings (11-14-2) visit the rival Anaheim Ducks (11-12-4) Monday at Honda Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. We analyze the Kings-Ducks sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Kings at Ducks: Projected starting goalies
Jonathan Quick vs. John Gibson
Quick is 7-10-1 through 18 starts with a .882 save percentage and 3.36 goals against average. He allowed four goals on just 22 shots in a loss to the San Jose Sharks his last time out and is 2-2-1 over his last five games.
Gibson is 1-2-2 across his last five outings, and most recently gave up three goals on 20 shots in a home loss against the Winnipeg Jets. He is 8-11-2 with a .910 SV% and 2.86 GAA.
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Kings at Ducks: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at Paste BN Sports for a full set of today's betting odds. Odds last updated 9 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Kings 3, Ducks 2
Moneyline (ML)
The Ducks and Kings hold the bottom two spots in the Pacific Division. The Kings have been playing their best hockey of the year of late, going 6-3-1 across their last 10 games including a 2-1 home win over the Winnipeg Jets Saturday. The Ducks have dropped two straight and were shutout 3-0 by those same Jets at home Friday.
The KINGS (+120) are just 2-9-1 on the road while being a respectable 9-5-1 on home ice. The Ducks (-143) are 7-5-2 at home but just 2-5-3 over their last 10 games overall. Take the value with the visitors as the two teams continue heading in opposite directions.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Kings to win outright in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $12.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The moneyline is the more profitable play at plus-money, but the KINGS (+1.5, -238) can also be taken on the spread with one goal of insurance in the event of a loss. The Kings are 12-15 against the spread overall and 4-8 on the road, but the Ducks are just 5-9 ATS at home (13-14 overall).
The Ducks' last two wins were each decided by three goals, but they went just 2-5 straight up in that time. I like LA to come away with the victory, but the spread helps protect against this game going to overtime or a shootout.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the UNDER 5.5 (-120). The Kings went 2-7-1 against the projected goal totals across their last 10 games while the Ducks were 7-3 in favor of the Over. Quick has been playing better of late following an awful start to the year and keeps this one short of the number.
Esten's NHL betting record: 97-81
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