Two teams going in opposite directions lock horns tonight. The Minnesota Wild (3-0-0) look to extend its unbeaten run to four games when they fly to California and take on the Los Angeles Kings (0-3-0), who have yet to record a win this season, at Staples Center. Who will be going home with a smile in this one? Will the Wild stay perfect? Or will the Kings finally get win No. 1?
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this promising game .If you’re yearning for some more NHL action, check out our other previews for: Hurricanes vs. Red Wings, Maple Leafs vs. Penguins and Avalanche vs. Ducks. Enjoy.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings Preview
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
When: Friday, October 16, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Wild (+145) at Los Angeles Kings (-165); total 5.0– view all NHL lines
Betting on the Minnesota Wild
All is well for the Minnesota Wild thus far. They was able to continue their perfect start to their 2015-16 campaign after emerging victorious over a previously-undefeated Arizona Coyotes Thursday night, 4-3. This win improved the Wild’s record to 3-0-0 for the first time in seven years. Up next in their schedule will be a date with the 0-3 Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.
[sc:NHL240 ]Keys to Minnesota’s unblemished start have been Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle. Parise seems to be in mid-season form already, managing to score at least a point in each of their three games. In total, he owns a team-high of four points—all goals. Coyle, on the other hand, is still in search for his first goal but has three assists under his name.
The Wild would be smart to capitalize on their solid offensive game-which averages 3.00 goals per game and is 2-for-5 in its power-play opportunities—against a Los Angeles defense that currently ranks fourth-worst in the NHL with 4.00 goals allowed per contest.
Expect Parise to continue being a difference-maker in tonight’s matchup. The 31-year-old left winger, who had 14 goals and 13 assists on the road last year, has fared pretty well opposite the Kings throughout his career with a total of 10 points (three goals and seven assists) across 16 games. He also delivered a hat-trick during Thursday night’s 5-4 win over the Avalanche.
Meanwhile, Darcy Kuemper will be the one manning the goal later and will be setting his sights on revenge. The former No. 1 goaltender was yanked after one period during his lone matchup last season with the Kings, allowing all four goals of a shutout home loss.
Minnesota is 6-4 SU and 6-1-3 OU in its past 10 road games.
Betting on the Los Angeles Kings
With the way things are going right now for the Los Angeles Kings, winning a third Stanley Cup in five years looks like a pipe dream. But there’s still more than enough time left for them to get it going. The Kings, who have lost all of their first three games so far, will look to finally notch their first win and avoid their first-ever 0-4 start when the Minnesota Wild pay them a visit.
Currently, the Kings’ offense is nowhere to be found. They have been outscored 12-2 and are averaging just 25.3 shots per game over their first three games. That stretch includes a 3-0 loss to Vancouver on Tuesday, during which they only managed a mere 15 shots and went 0-for-3 in their power-plays.
In order for Los Angeles to wake up its struggling offense, they’ll need to begin playing with a sense of urgency. That should start with the trio of Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter.
Kopitar, who led the team with 64 points and 48 assists in 2014, is still without a point and a minus-three. Gaborik, the seven-time 30-goal scorer, also has none and Carter, who had a team-best of 28 goals in the same year, only has one assist to his name.
Meanwhile, the Kings will be looking to their star goaltender, Jonathan Quick, who negated 25 of 27 shots against in the loss versus the Canucks, to have another big game. Quick carries a 1.63 GAA during his last three matches against the Wild at Staples Center.
Los Angeles is 4-6 SU and 2-5-3 OU in its previous 10 bouts with Minnesota.
Writer’s Prediction
The Kings (-165) finally receive a boost on offense from Kopitar and company to notch their first win of the 2016 NHL season.
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