The Calgary Flames (31-24-15) visit the Los Angeles Kings (40-20-10) for a Monday contest at crypto.com Arena. Puck drop is slated for 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
Calgary continued with some recent overtime problems Saturday when it lost to the Dallas Stars 6-5 in a 65-minute affair. The Flames are 4-4-4 over their last 12 games.
The Kings are 2-3-0 against the Flames the last 2 seasons — with the 2 wins coming in OT. They are off their own overtime setback, falling 3-2 in a SO loss to the Vancouver Canucks Saturday. But overall, the Kings have been on solid ground of late, posting a 7-0-2 record across its last 9 games.
Flames vs. Kings odds
- Moneyline: Flames -110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Kings -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Flames +1.5 (-260) | Kings -1.5 (+210)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +110 | U: -130)
Flames vs. Kings projected goalies
Jacob Markstrom (19-18-10, 2.89 GAA, .891 SV%) vs Pheonix Copley (21-4-3, 2.63 GAA, .904 SV%)
Markstrom allowed 6 goals Saturday to Dallas and owns a lackluster .829 SV% (58 saves on 70 shots) over his last 3 games. He allowed 5 goals on 29 shots in a 6-5 home win against Los Angeles Nov. 14. It helped that the Flames offense scored 4 goals in the opening period and 2 in the 2nd and led 6-3 heading into the 3rd — the Kings’ final goal came with 1:19 to go and their goalie pulled.
Copley has not been tagged with a regulation loss since Feb. 21. He’s 4-1 in his last 5 starts, including a SO win and a SO loss. At home, he owns a .918 SV% overall and a .942 mark over his last 4 games at home.
Flames at Kings picks and predictions
Prediction
Flames 4, Kings 3
Moneyline
Calgary is fighting for its playoff life, 4 points out of the final Wild Card spot. Los Angeles is solidified in its positioning, just 2 points behind 1st-place Vegas in the Pacific Division.
The Flames have lately been a team under-scoring on its expectations based on puck-possession and expected-goal analytics. They are 3-0-1 over their last 4 road games, and they’re facing a Kings club, perhaps slightly overrated in the recency bias camp by a weak slate the last couple weeks.
BACK CALGARY110).
Puck line/Against the spread
PASS. The much-to-play-for Flames are a solid lean on the moneyline.
Over/Under
Both teams are among the middle 10 in the league in scoring. The expected goalies, paired with some higher expectations for Calgary production make this a fair number.
I could see 7 goals total, but O/U 6.5 is a risky number, here PASS.