Welcome back to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Sports! Each day we preview the day’s matchups, while giving our analysis and prediction. One of our featured matchups today will be the Los Angeles Kings taking on the visiting Minnesota Wild. Be sure to check back everyday to read NHL Predictions throughout the season!
NHL Predictions
Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings
Time: 8 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time)
TV: ESPN+, FanDuel Sports Network
The Los Angeles Kings continue their home stand taking on another Central Division opponent. The Kings have played some of the top Central Division teams recently, starting out with a win over the Jets last week and then following that up with a victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. Minnesota, for their part, are in the final game of three straight against Pacific Division teams, having beat the Canucks on Tuesday and the Ducks on Friday. Both teams carry a four game win streak into tonight’s match.
Head to Head
The Kings and Wild have met once so far this year on November 5th. The Kings took the game by a score of 5-1. Los Angeles has had the better luck against the Wild over the past couple of seasons. Since the 2023-24 season, LA has won three of the last four.
Another aspect of the matchup to watch will be the returns of Kevin Fiala and Brock Faber to their former teams. The two players, who were traded for each other, have become stars for their new teams. Brock Faber, who was recently selected to join Team USA for the Four Nations Faceoff, leads the defensive side of the game for Minnesota. Kevin Fiala seemingly likes playing against his old team as well. In the 7 games he has played against them as a member of the Kings, only twice has he failed to record a point. He has 9 points in these seven games for Los Angeles.
Minnesota Battles Injuries
Minnesota has plenty of star power, but will be missing some valuable assets in this game. Notably, skilled center Joel Erikkson Ek is out week to week. Matts Zuccarello is on the injured reserve, as is defenseman Jonas Brodin. The loss of Erikkson Ek is a big one, as he is a top center who can counter the Kings depth at the position.
The Wild will be led offensively by super star Kirill Kaprizov. The Russian winger is again dominating, posting 39 points in only 24 games. Kaprizov is third in the league in points and tied for third in goals. He is also tied for seventh in assists. Expect Kaprizov to be the most potent offensive player on the ice.
The Kings Hit Their Stride
The Kings are playing some of their best hockey of the year, having won four straight against substantial opponents. The Jets and Stars, who they have defeated on their current win streak, are some of the best teams in the league. Now they’ll have a chance at defeating another top Western Conference team. In order to do so, the King’s defense will have to remain strong. The defensive core for LA has been one of the most dependable in the league, despite injuries and a rotation of different players. With a high powered offense like Minnesota poses, they will need to be especially vigilant, even more so should Darcy Kuemper get his first start after coming back off injured reserve.
Also in the spotlight for the Kings will be their off-season acquisitions who played strongly in their win against the Stars. All three Kings goals came from players new to the roster this season: Warren Foegele, Tanner Jeannot, and Joel Edmunssson. The energy and intensity these three brought went a long way in that win, and added a spark to the rest of the roster. This will be the type of energy the Kings look to play with consistently.
Prop Bets
Look for Kaprizov to get on the score sheet in some manner. One of the top scorers right now, he has been averaging well over a point per game. FanDuel Sportsbook lists him as +140 to score tonight, which is entirely possible with how hot he has been this year.
For Los Angeles, look for Kevin Fiala to score some points. As mentioned, Fiala loves playing against the Wild. He has been prone to putting up multipoint games in the past against his old team. Tonight could be another night for him to shine.
NHL Predictions Time
The best part of NHL predictions is prediction time. This is another game where there is not an immediate, clear favorite. The odds may fall in favor of the Wild, but Minnesota will be playing the second night of a back to back. The Kings have had a couple days off during this homestand, so they should have the fresher legs. The Kings have also been comfortably winning games over the past two weeks, and boast recent success against the Wild. The game could become high-scoring, as many games between Minnesota and Los Angeles are. The team who controls the pace of play and brings more energy should be able to come out with a victory. The bottom line? For a certain number of these reasons, I will be predicting a Kings win tonight.
Final Prediction: Los Angeles Kings 4-3 over Minnesota Wild
Main Photo: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
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