The Pittsburgh Penguins (19-21-8) travel to face off against the Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5) on Monday, January 20th. This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and televised on ESPN+. The Penguins are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Kings are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Blackhawks. Puck drop is set for 10:30 ET.
Penguins vs Kings
The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win
The Penguins improved to 19-21-8 with a 3-1 road win over the Canadiens. Pittsburgh covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the pre-game line of 6.5.
Sidney Crosby scored twice for the Penguins, with Blake Lizotte adding an empty-net goal to seal the win. Pittsburgh’s defense held Montreal scoreless until the third period.
The Los Angeles Kings Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Los Angeles fell to 25-13-5 after a 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks. The Kings led 2-0 going into the third period but gave up three goals, including the game-winner with just 31 seconds left. As -1.5 goal favorites, the Kings failed to cover the puck line, and the total of 7 goals went over the pre-game line of 6.
Alex Laferriere scored twice, with his first goal coming at 3:57 in the first period. The Kings added another goal in the second period before the Blackhawks mounted their comeback. Phillip Danault put the Kings ahead 3-2 in the third period, but Chicago scored twice to seal the win.
Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown
Sidney Crosby led the Penguins’ offense with two goals in their 3-1 win over Montreal, bringing his season total to 5. He scored Pittsburgh’s first goal 4:03 into the game and added a second on a power play at 1:20 of the second period. Blake Lizotte capped the scoring with an empty-netter, his 2nd goal of the season.
The Penguins took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. Lars Eller picked up his 3rd assist on Lizotte’s empty-net goal, while Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson assisted on Crosby’s power-play goal, giving Karlsson 7 assists for the season.
Kings Offense Breakdown
Alex Laferriere led the way for the Kings with two goals, including his 7th of the season on a power play in the first period and his 8th early in the second. Phillip Danault added his first goal of the season at the 8:12 mark in the third period, after taking 5 shots on goal and picking up his 4th assist on Laferriere’s second goal.
Despite scoring just three times, the Kings fired 40 shots on goal and recorded 13 giveaways. Kevin Fiala contributed with two assists, bringing his total to 5 for the season, while Trevor Moore picked up his 3rd assist.
Pittsburgh Team Defense
Defensively, the Penguins will look to carry over their performance from the previous game, where they allowed just one goal to Montreal. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves, finishing with a 96.2% save percentage. The defense also recorded 5 takeaways and 19 hits.
Los Angeles Team Defense
Los Angeles’ defense will be looking to bounce back after giving up three goals in the third period in their previous game, including the tying goal with just 31 seconds left. Goalie Darcy Kuemper had 18 saves with an 85.7% save percentage.
Penguins vs Kings Trends
- In their last ten games away from home, the Penguins have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 3 goals per game in this stretch.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, Los Angeles has an puck line record of 3-2 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 5-0 overall in these games.
- Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Kings have gone 3-0 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
- The Penguins have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 3-2 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
Penguins vs Kings Prediction
If you’re looking for a moneyline bet in this one, we have the Kings coming out on top. However, with the lines sitting at -190, I’d recommend looking to the spread as our projections have the Kings winning by more than one goal.
For a puck line pick, we are going with the Kings to win and cover. Look for the Kings to win this one by multiple goals over the Penguins.
If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 20, 2025 Kings, Penguins