- What: NHL Regular Season Game
- When: February 22, 2025
- Who: Utah Hockey Club vs. LA Kings
- Time: 6:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
The Los Angeles Kings and the Utah Hockey Club will clash at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday at 9:00 PM ET. The Kings are coming off a loss, and the Utah team is fresh off a victory.
Utah
Before the 4-Nations break, the Utah Hockey Club achieved a commendable record of three wins in four games and is eager to continue this positive momentum.
Their most recent match ended in a thrilling 5-4 shootout victory against the Washington Capitals, and notably, all three wins during this stretch were decided by a single goal.
While there is still room for improvement, the team has shown impressive performance in its inaugural season. Its record of 24-23-9 puts it ahead of six teams in the Western Conference in terms of points. However, it fell short in its only encounter with the Kings this season, losing 3-2 in Los Angeles.
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????: KSL Sports Zone pic.twitter.com/B7ovi1arfG— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) February 22, 2025
This season, the Hockey Club is ranked 22nd in the league, averaging 2.80 goals per game, while they are tied for 16th in goals against at 3.00. Clayton Keller leads the team with 20 goals and 60 points, contributing two goals and four assists in the six games leading up to the break.
Dylan Guenther also has 20 goals, with four coming in the last four games before the break. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka has a record of 13-15-4 with a 2.57 GAA but is currently listed as day-to-day.
If he cannot play against the Kings, Connor Ingram, who has a record of 9-7-4 and a 3.23 GAA, may step in, though he too is day-to-day.
Throughout the season, the Utah Hockey Club has performed significantly better on the road (15-11-3) compared to at home (9-12-6).
Los Angeles
After experiencing a four-game losing streak, the Kings bounced back by winning three consecutive matches, scoring 15 goals in that stretch.
However, their offense hit a snag in their final game before the break, resulting in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks at home. Los Angeles currently holds the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings. While they are 16 points behind the top team, they are only seven points away from second place.
The Kings sit mid-pack in goals scored per game, averaging 2.83, but boast a strong defensive record, ranking fifth in the NHL with an average of 2.53 goals allowed per game.
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????️ https://t.co/eIHpu4KGuh#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/4JcxF3xrMN— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 22, 2025
Adrian Kempe netted a goal for Sweden during the 4-Nations Face Off and leads the Kings with 25 goals and 26 points, although he has only managed one goal and one assist over the past eight games.
Veteran Anze Kopitar follows with 45 points (13 goals, 32 assists) but has also struggled recently, recording just one goal and one assist in his last nine outings. Kevin Fiala ranks second on the team with 21 goals, contributing five in the four games leading up to the break.
For the upcoming matchup against the Hockey Club, either Darcy Kuemper, who has a record of 16-6-6 with a 2.19 GAA and is currently day-to-day, or David Rittich, holding a record of 12-11-1 with a 2.59 GAA, will likely be in goal. This season, the Kings have an impressive home record of 17-3-2.
Hockey Club-Kings Best Bet
When these teams faced off earlier this season in L.A., the total went Under, and I’m leaning toward that outcome for this matchup as well.
Both teams return rested after the break, but they’re dealing with some banged-up goalies.
The Kings scored just one goal in their last game, while Utah netted five, but they only scored twice in their earlier loss to the Kings this season.
With both teams likely to be physical and limit open space, I expect a lower-scoring affair, making the Under the smart choice.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 Goals at -115 odds.
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
