The Chicago Blackhawks, who we predicted would make it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals in our complete playoff picks and predictions article, need to wait a little longer before finding out which team will they face in the Western Conference finals.
The Los Angeles Kings continue to evade elimination after eking out a victory on the road against the Anaheim Ducks, 2-1. With the series back to square one, can the Ducks avoid embarrassment at home, or will the Kings score another heartbreaker?
It’s another Game 7 in the topsy-turvy second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Create a betting account now, and bet on this edge-of-your-seat thriller now.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 – May 3, Los Angeles 3 (OT) Anaheim 2
Game 2 – May 5, Los Angeles 3 Anaheim 1
Game 3 – May 8, Anaheim 3 at Los Angeles 2
Game 4 – May 10, Anaheim 2 at Los Angeles 0
Game 5 – May 12, Los Angeles 3 at Anaheim 4
Game 6– May 14, Anaheim 1 at Los Angeles 2
Game 7 – May 16, 7:00 PM ET, Los Angeles (-105) at Anaheim (-115); total 5.0 – view all NHL lines
Betting on the Anaheim Ducks
Teemu Selanne may have just played his last career home game, and if so, he and the Ducks will be looking back on the power play opportunities missed in Game 6 at the Honda Center. The Finnish Flash has said he will retire after this season and his team has now joined the Kings on the brink of elimination.
The Ducks came into Game 6 with five power play goals, scoring one in each of their previous four games. However, they went 0-5 on the man advantage on Wednesday, clearly succumbing to the defense of Los Angeles. With the Kings continuing to take penalties, Anaheim’s powerplay could rebound in Game 7 at home. The Ducks have the most home power play goals in these Playoffs with eight.
[sc:NHL240 ]John Gibson remained a force in the net despite the loss. He kept the Ducks in the game by stuffing 21 of the Kings’ 23 shots (.913 SV%). He’ll have to be at his finest form in Game 7, as the Ducks have been outscored by the Kings at home thus far in the series, 9-7.
The Ducks are 3-1 this season in games where Gibson is in the net. They are also 7-3 in their last 10 home games.
Betting on the Los Angeles Kings
Another do-or-die game. Same old result for the Kings. After surviving Game 6 at home, Los Angeles is now 6-1 in its last seven Playoffs elimination games dating back to 2012.
The Kings have Jonathan Quick to thank for in Game 6. He outplayed Anaheim’s goalie Gibson for the first time in this series, stopping 21 of the Ducks 22 shots. In Game 7, Quick will be pressured to deliver another flawless performance, especially if some of his teammates expected to provide goals continue to misfire in this series.
Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, and Justin Williams, who combined for 11 goals in the first round against the San Jose Sharks, astonishingly have zero so far against the Ducks. In Game 7, expect the three to be extra aggressive on offense. The Kings are still the best scoring team on the road in the postseason, netting 22 away from Staples Center.
The Kings are 4-1 in their last four road games with Quick in the net.
Writer’s Prediction
The Kings have proven repeatedly that they have what it takes to win an elimination game. Take the Kings to win straight up at -105 and the total to hit under 5.0.
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