San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings Prediction: Best Bet for Wednesday
Los Angeles is 4-7-2 and its penalty kill sits at 61.5 percent, a number that would sink most teams, while San Jose arrives at 7-8-1 with Macklin Celebrini producing like a star. The Kings have the better record in the building and the worse special teams, and that tension runs the whole game.
The Matchup
Los Angeles is 4-7-2, a record that flatters nobody, and the Kings score 2.77 goals per game while allowing 3.46, a -0.69 differential. Artemi Panarin is carrying what offense Los Angeles has, with 8 goals and 13 points, and Brandt Clarke leads the team with 7 assists from the blue line. When Panarin's line is off the ice, the Kings can go long stretches without threatening, and that is the root of the losing record.
San Jose is 7-8-1 at minus-0.75 per game, scoring 2.56 and allowing 3.31, so the Sharks are not a good team either, just a younger and more entertaining one. Macklin Celebrini leads San Jose with 11 assists and 16 points, and Will Smith has 6 goals, and that pair can take a period over if Los Angeles gets lazy on changes. Yaroslav Askarov gives the Sharks a real chance in net at a 2.92 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage, better numbers than Darcy Kuemper carries for Los Angeles at 3.65 and .878.
Los Angeles could be without a key winger. Adrian Kempe is day to day, and Kempe's speed is what stretches a defense for Panarin. Keep an eye on whether Kempe plays before placing a bet. Kevin Fiala is on injured reserve for the Kings, which already thins that scoring depth. San Jose lists Alexander Wennberg on injured reserve, a loss the Sharks feel on defensive-zone draws and on the penalty kill.
Key Factors
The strangest number in this game is the Los Angeles penalty kill at 61.5 percent. The Kings kill barely three of every five penalties, and San Jose's power play converts 21.8 percent, so Los Angeles has to play this game clean or the whole pick gets shaky fast.
The good news for the Kings is that discipline is a choice, and at even strength they allow their chances in lower-danger areas than San Jose does. The Sharks kill 84.9 percent, a genuinely good unit, and the Kings' power play converts 18.2 percent, so Los Angeles should not count on winning this game with its special teams either.
The favorite case is the building and the depth that is left. Los Angeles still rolls more experienced lines than San Jose, and the Sharks allow 3.31 per game with a young defense that makes its mistakes in bunches on the road. The underdog case is real and it has a name.
Celebrini is the most dynamic player in this game, Askarov has been the better goaltender, and a Kings team at 4-7-2 has not earned much trust. It fails if Los Angeles plays the low-event home game it wants, because San Jose does not create enough at even strength to win a game played that way.
Los Angeles controls more of this game at home, and San Jose gives those controlled shifts back with its own defensive leaks. The Kings do enough in front of their own crowd. Take the Los Angeles Kings moneyline at -155.
Game Information
| Date | Wednesday (11/4) |
|---|---|
| Start Time | 9:00 PM CT |
| How to Watch | NHL |
| Venue | crypto.com Arena |
| Total | 6.5 |
| Moneyline | Los Angeles Kings -155 |
More Picks This Week
More on San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings
NHL Props and Futures Boards
Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.