LA Kings vs Minnesota Wild projected lineup, betting preview

The LA Kings and Minnesota Wild meet for the second time this season after an entertaining 13-goal affair in their first matchup.

Projected Lineups

LA Kings (7-6-1)

Here’s how the Kings skated in their last game against Florida:

With the news of Quinton Byfield being loaned to the AHL on a conditioning stint, I would suspect the forward group will look much the same for the Kings. On defense, we still await Brandt Clarke to play his 10th game as he has been a healthy scratch since appearing in his ninth. As long as he’s in Los Angeles, I will expect him to play since I believe he gives the team the best option.

Between the pipes, I think we see Jonathan Quick again. He’s been…better (it’s a relative term) of late, losing 2-1 in overtime in Chicago and a thrilling 5-4 win over Florida on Saturday. That said, the team has had a couple of days off and doesn’t play again until Thursday, so it’s really anyone’s guess with the goaltender for Tuesday.

As always, keep an eye on the morning skate for updated lineup notes.

Minnesota Wild (5-5-1)

Here’s how the Wild skated in practice on Monday:

Jordan Greenway is set to make his return to the lineup after being out with a shoulder injury. Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno remain out. Also, per Michael Russo, Wild head coach Dean Evason did not announce who would start in goal against the Kings.

Minnesota is looking to bounce back after being shut out at home by the Seattle Kraken last Thursday.

5-on-5

Here’s how the two teams match up at 5-on-5 per Natural Stat Trick

Team GP GF GA CF% xGF% SCF% HDCF% SH% SV% PDO
Minnesota Wild 11 18 28 49.9 51.7 50.5 52.8 7.0 .895 0.965
Los Angeles Kings 14 33 33 52.1 53.2 51.4 52.8 9.4 .896 0.989

After losing their first three games and four of their first five, Minnesota has played better of late. Their possession numbers continue to be very un-Wild-like, but in their last six games, they are 4-2 and have a CF% above 50% and the sixth-best xGF% in the league at 55.1%, much more Wild-like.

The Kings continue to be inconsistent, going 3-2 in their last five games. They’ve shown signs of being the structured LA Kings team we’ve seen in recent years (against Chicago), but we’ve also seen the shaky defensive zone play in their most recent game against Florida.

LA is finding the back of the net much more, and both teams are in the bottom five in 5-on-5 save percentage in the NHL. This was on display during the first meeting between these two teams, a 7-6 shootout in Minnesota on October 15th.

Special Teams

Minnesota’s power play has been pretty potent, clicking at a 26.3% rate, good for sixth in the NHL. That includes a 3-for-6 against the Kings in their first meeting. The penalty kill has not been as successful, coming in at 73.5% (25th in the NHL).

For the Kings, there have been positive signs with the man advantage, but consistency still lacks. They did score a power play goal on Saturday but overall went just 1-for-6. Their 19.7% is good for 23rd in the NHL. At 76.8%, the penalty kill has also been below average.

Betting Odds

Let’s take a look at the odds, courtesy of our partner Betstamp (promo code: hockeyroyalty).

*Note: the odds below are for sports books offered in New York. Refer to available sports books specific to your state.
**Odds as of 8 am ET/5 am PT and may have changed since this has been published.

Via Betstamp

With how evenly matched these teams are possession-wise, it’s not surprising to see the odds reflect that. The Kings are -105 at DraftKings, and if you prefer Minnesota, they are also -105 at BetMGM. This one is basically a toss-up in the market.

The total is set at 6.5. Despite the last game getting to double digits, both teams have settled down since then, so this is a reasonable number. If you think we see another shootout, BetRivers has the Over at Even money. FanDuel has the Under at -110.

DraftKings Player Props

Sponsored by DraftKings (promo code THPN)

Kevin Fiala is coming off one of his better offensive games of the season in terms of shot contributions. In addition to his two shot attempts, he had seven shot assists against Florida and is one of the top LA Kings players in that category. He is -105 to pick up an assist tonight. Phillip Danault is another high shot-assist contributor on the team, and he is +180 to tally an assist as well.

Kirill Kaprizov has enjoyed playing against the Kings in his young NHL career. In 12 games, the Russian winger has picked up 13 points, including two points in the game in October. He is +140 to score and +155 to tally two points or more on Tuesday.

Mats Zuccarello leads the Wild in power play points with eight. Given LA’s continued struggles on the penalty kill, Zuccarello at +135 to record a power play point is intriguing.

Good luck, and enjoy the game!

Follow me on Betstamp @JWPatarino!

(Main photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images)

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