Through three games, the defense-first Los Angeles Kings find themselves beating the high-powered Chicago Blackhawks at their own game:goal-scoring. The Kings now look to continue their free-scoring ways in Game 4 at home to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The Kings are inching closer to their second trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in three years. If you fancy LA to get past Chicago in this round, create a betting account now and cash in on the Kings in this pivotal Game 4.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings Western Conference Finals, Game 4 Preview
Game 1 –May 18, Los Angeles 1 at Chicago 3
Game 2 – May 21, Los Angeles 6 at Chicago 2
Game 3 – May 24, Chicago 3 at Los Angeles 4
Game 4 – May 26, 9:00 PM ET, Chicago (+115) at Los Angeles (-135) total 5.0 – view all NHL lines
Game 5 – May 28, 8:00 PM ET, Los Angeles at Chicago
Game 6 (if necessary) – May 30, 9:00 PM ET, Chicago at Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary) – June 1, 8:00 PM ET, Los Angeles at Chicago
Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks scored the second most goals in the NHL during the regular season, but not even their tremendous offense can overcome giving up 10 goals in two games.
[sc:NHL240 ]Even after Jonathan Toews scored twice in the first period of Game 3 to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead, they gave it right back with three unanswered goals as they fell 4-3. If Corey Crawford can’t perform well enough to preserve the leads given to him, this pattern will continue.
Toews and fellow first-liner Marian Hossa have three points each in the conference finals, while keeping their Kings counterparts relatively silent. But the other lines have failed to produce much so far in the series; Patrick Kane in particular has been held pointless thus far.
The Blackhawks will need big performances from their big-game players, especially on the road, if they’re going to even up the series. Chicago is just 2-5 on the road in these playoffs, but is 7-3 SU in its last 10 road games in Los Angeles.
Betting on the Los Angeles Kings
If someone had said coming into this series that the Kings’ top line of Marian Gaborik, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown would be held to a total of one point through three games against the Chicago Blackhawks, you would’ve thought the Kings would be in big trouble.
Nonetheless, with their top line lagging, the Kings are up 2-1 after scoring 10 goals in two games – with no help from those three.
Instead, it’s been the second line of Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter providing the points. All three have registered at least a point in each of the first three games, with Carter scoring seven all by himself in the last two games.
Between the sticks, Jonathan Quick hasn’t been remarkable in those two games (five goals conceded with a .900 save percentage), but the tremendous goal support he’s receiving has given him sufficient leeway. The total has gone over in four of the Kings’ last five home games vs. Chicago.
Writer’s Prediction
The Kings’ offense keeps rolling at home while Quick keeps the Blackhawks at bay. Take LA -135 at home in Game 4.
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