The Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche meet in Game 2 of the NHL Playoffs tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EDT at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Avalanche are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-128o / +104u). The Avalanche are a -295 favorite to win outright, while the Kings are +235 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Kings vs. Avalanche predictions and NHL picks.
Kings vs. Avalanche Odds, Pick
| Kings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -112 | 5.5 -128o / 104u | +235 |
| Avalanche Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -108 | 5.5 -128o / 104u | -295 |
- Kings vs. Avalanche Spread: Avalanche -1.5 (-108), Kings +1.5 (-112)
- Kings vs. Avalanche Over/Under: 5.5 (-128o / +104u)
- Kings vs. Avalanche Moneyline: Kings +235, Avalanche -295
Kings vs Avalanche Polymarket Odds
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Kings vs. Avalanche Preview
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings played well in Game 1, and you can make a case they should have walked away with the win.
Natural Stat Trick had Los Angeles ahead with 2.94 xGF at 5-on-5 to 2.19 for Colorado, while the all-situations number came out 3.67 to 3.16 in their favor.
Drew Doughty had an open net in the first period that would have given Los Angeles a 1-0 lead, and Artemi Panarin found himself in a similar spot during the second, but lost control of a bouncing puck.
That story has been all too familiar for the Kings this season, finishing with the second-worst goals for above expected mark at -28.96.
Hand up, I figured Colorado would handle these first two games at home pretty easily. Instead, the Kings did what they've done all year, leaning on their sixth-ranked xGA/60 to limit chances and hang around.
That formula is exactly how they reached the postseason, grabbing at least a point in 55 games despite a modest win total of 35.
They're a scrappy group, and deserve credit for making life difficult on Colorado, even if this still likely shapes up to be a short series.
For all their ability to suppress chances, offense remains the lingering issue, and that problem only gets magnified against an Avs team that has given up next to nothing all season.
In net, Anton Forsberg was solid in his postseason debut, turning aside 30 of 32 shots on goal. He should get the call again tonight after outplaying Darcy Kuemper for much of the year, particularly down the stretch.
Over his last eight appearances, Forsberg has allowed two goals or fewer in seven of them while posting a .946 SV% and 1.49 GAA across that span.
Colorado Avalanche
It's been talked about ad nauseam, but I'll bring it up again. Colorado's power play has been a head-scratcher all season given the talent on the roster, finishing the year at just 17.1%.
Those struggles resurfaced in Game 1, with the Avalanche going 0-for-4 on the man advantage. The Presidents' Trophy curse is another storyline that gets plenty of airtime, and you have to wonder if those special teams woes end up being what bites them this postseason.
All that aside, Colorado probably wishes they'd played a cleaner Game 1, but a win is a win in April, and they still hold nearly every advantage in this matchup.
Averaging over 3.5 GF/60 this season and posting a league-best 56.85 xGF%, I expect them to figure out Los Angeles. And with the Avs allowing the fewest goals against in the league, the Kings' struggling offense won't find an edge there either.
There was some conversation over whether Scott Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood would draw the Game 1 start. Jared Bednar went with the predictable choice in Wedgewood, and he was outstanding, stopping 24 of 25 shots.
There's no reason to move off him now. Wedgewood is up to a .946 SV% since the Olympic break with a 1.33 GAA and a 12-2-1 record across those 15 games.
Kings vs. Avalanche Prediction
I'm going back to this pick. Los Angeles played well in Game 1, but Colorado had plenty of chances to cover the puck line, especially with the empty net, and just couldn't finish the job.
After a nervy opener, I expect the Avs to come out with some urgency and take care of business tonight.
The Minnesota-Dallas series is also shaping up to be a bruiser, which might give Colorado extra motivation to wrap up this round quickly and head into a tough second-round matchup with fresh legs.
Los Angeles is pretty one-dimensional in how it can win games, while the Avalanche have any number of ways to get it done.
I'll play the puck line again, and worst case, hope they cash in on the empty net this time around.
Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (-108, FanDuel)
