The defending Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings, are in quite a topsy-turvy season. The same can’t be said of the St. Louis Blues, who are rolling with a 21-8-2 record (second in the Central Division). Can the Blues continue to pile misery on Los Angeles? Read on as we break down this critical showdown between division rivals.
Are you into defending champions? Check out our preview for the college basketball game between last season’s champs Connecticut and No. 2 Duke here. In the meantime, the NFL’s defending champs the Seahawks travel to Arizona in a division-clinching game. Read the complete preview of the Seahawks vs. Cardinals game here.
[sc:NHLArticles ]St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings Preview
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis
When: Thursday, December 18, 10:30 PM ET
Line: St. Louis Blues at Los Angeles Kings – view all NHL lines
Betting on the St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues trailed 2-1 against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. But a surge of four unanswered goals in the third period gave them a 5-2 win Tuesday night.
[sc:NHL240 ]Vladimir Tarasenko scored a hat-trick netting one in the second period and two more in the decisive third. The Blues’ leading points-leader should figure more in this upcoming game. Tarasenko is on a six-game points streak (six goals and four assists).
From the blue line, Kevin Shattenkirk is on fire. He has recorded eight points in his last four games. Shattenkirk has been an excellent playmaker for St. Louis this season with four goals, including three power play goals, and 23 assists in 31 games.
Goaltender Jake Allen hasn’t been too solid between the pipes with a .895 save percentage in the three-straight games he’s started for the Blues. However, their offense has been on overdrive scoring 4.67 goals per game (well over their season average of 2.94) in the three-game run.
For the Blues to take a second straight game against Los Angeles, they’ll need put on the same amount of pressure they did on Tuesday night. Flustering the Kings’ defenders may also lead to some power play opportunities, which St. Louis has passed with flying colors recently. They have converted 7-of-18 power play opportunities in the past five games. Meanwhile, the Blues’ penalty kill percentage (82.6) over the same time period isn’t too shabby either.
The Blues have won five straight games.
Betting on the Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are finding themselves in a rut, losing five of their last six games. Kings netminder Jonathan Quick started in five of those games, amassing a 2.60 GAA and a .892 save percentage.
Their offense isn’t clicking either, scoring 2.17 goals per game in the Kings’ run. Los Angeles’ points leader Tyler Toffoli has racked up only three in the past six games. Their leading goal scorer Tanner Pearson has not scored in the Kings’ past five losses.
The Kings do have Marian Gaborik who has three goals in the past two games, including two against the Blues. Meanwhile, defenseman Drew Doughty’s playmaking (one goal and four assists in the past four games) may allow Gaborik and the rest of the Kings’ frontline to get some key opportunities to score.
To get back on the winning track, the Kings will need to tighten up on their penalty-kill unit. Los Angeles allowed the Blues to score on 2-of-3 power play opportunities Tuesday night and have an 81.1 percent penalty-kill percentage thus far this season.
The Kings have won 10 straight home games against St. Louis.
Writer’s Prediction
The Kings break their losing streak. Create a betting account now and cash in on all the fast-paced hockey action.
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