NHL Flames vs Kings Picks and Odds, January 8, 2024

Tonight, the Pacific Division faces off and we got you all covered. The Calgary Flames will take on the Los Angeles Kings at the Crypto.com Arena tonight. This will be the 2nd time they meet this season, and the Flames won the 1st game 3-1.

Los Angeles is 23-10-5 this season and 2nd in the Pacific Division. They come into this game on a 4-game winning streak and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. The Kings are 14-2-1 at home, which is ridiculous, but only 6-5-0 in divisional play.

This team isn’t the craziest on offense like in the past years. They rank 13th for goals scored and 24th for shots on goal per game. LA shoots the puck well with a 11.4% shooting percentage, which ranks 8th best in the league.

Defense is where this team shines. They are the best in the league for fewest goals allowed and 2nd best for shots on goal allowed per game. The Kings also have a solid penalty kill this year, killing off 82.6% of the time.

Goalie Darcy Kuemper is expected in net tonight. He is 11-2-5 with a 2.22 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

Calgary will hope to snap 2-game losing streak tonight in LA

Flames center Blake Coleman tries to screen Los Angeles Kings goalie David Rittich.

The Flames are 18-14-7 so far this season and are 5th in the Pacific. They come into this game on a 2-game skid and are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. This team struggles on the road with a 5-8-4 record and are ok in divisional play with a 5-4-1 record.

Calgary struggles to find the back of the net, only averaging 2.6 goals per game which ranks 28th in the league. They shoot the puck, ranking 11th in the league with 30 per game, but shoot with their eyes closed as they are 2nd worst in shooting percentage.

Defensively, it doesn’t get much better. They’re allowing about 3 goals per game and rank 24th for shots on goal allowed. The Flames commit a lot of penalties, averaging 10.4 minutes per game. Their penalty kill is 3rd worst in the league, so they need to learn to play smart hockey.

Goalie Dan Vladar is expected in net tonight. He has a 6-8-5 record with a 3.08 GAA and a .888 save percentage. Vladar did not face the Kings in their 1st game, so it’ll be fresh eyes for the Flames.

Calgary Flames vs Los Angeles Kings Betting Odds and Game Information

Flames vs Kings Betting Odds

Puck Line

Calgary Flames +1.5 (-144)
Los Angeles Kings -1.5 (+118)

Moneyline

Calgary Flames +180
Los Angeles Kings -220

Totals

Over 5.5 (-122)
Under 5.5 (+100)

Odds courtesy of BetOnline – Get 50% up to $1000 on your first deposit

Flames vs Kings Game Information

Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date: Wednesday January 8, 2025
Puck Drop: 10:30pm EST
TV: FDSW

Calgary Flames vs Los Angeles Kings Prediction and Picks

Kings forward Trevor Moore celebrates with his teammates on the bench after scoring a goal.

Flames vs Kings Picks and Predictions: Los Angeles Kings Moneyline + Game Total Over 5.5 (+150) Get 50% up to $1000 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick

This is a great spot for the Kings to keep it rolling. LA is such a good home team and are going to thrive once again. Losing their 1st matchup this season may also be in the back of their heads.

This sneaky Kings offense will find their way to score, but especially against the Flames. Their defense is absolutely terrible, as mentioned earlier. It’s hard for a team to contend if they’re going to be playing catchup the whole game and that’s what I see happening here.

Kuemper will be another tough task for the Flames. He’s has been locked in this season and will allow no more than 2 games. I definitely think the Kings put up at least 4 goals and this game goes over. Vladar has been very leaky, and the Kings power play could easily cash in vs Calgary’s weak penalty kill.

I like for Trevor Moore to record 3+ shots on goal for -104. It’ll be just his 2nd game back from injury and at home will be a nice place for him to settle in. Moore was a big part of this offense last year, so we need to take advantage of his value before he produces, and the lines go up.