Oddsmakers have declared a toss up in the game between the Anaheim Ducks (19-15-4) at the Los Angeles Kings (24-13-5) as both teams are negative ML favorites. There’s good value in the home team Kings at -115 as they are 11-6-3 on their own ice this year. Then again, why are the Ducks listed at -105 in the 1/13 NHL free pick – is it Anaheim that has the true advantage?
A Lot of Similarities in This Contest
The reason oddsmakers are split in this game is because the teams kind of mirror each other. Both are coming into the 1/13 NHL free pick with six nights of rest. Both rely on great goaltending as Anaheim’s John Gibson sports a .923 save percentage against the Kings’ Jonathan Quick which is .926%. Both teams also come into this tilt with two game losing streaks and a lot of downtime to think about those losses. All of these factors play into the possibility for a very good hockey game Saturday night.
Any Value in the Ducks -105 on the Road?
Anaheim has had an up and down last 10, going 5-5 over that span. They’re traditionally one of the better home teams in the NHL but the Ducks haven’t played at the Honda Center since the calendar turned to 2018. Anaheim is 1-2 over that span but they are playing great defense, giving up just five goals in those three games. G John Gibson has the 10th best save percentage in the league, but his record on the year is just 13-13-5. This record is mainly due to the fact that the Ducks give up a ton of shots, the second most in the league to be exact.
Gibson could be in trouble in net again for the 1/13 NHL free pick as Los Angeles has netted 11 goals over their last three games. The Kings are in the top half of the league in goals scored (3.0 per game) but luckily for Gibson don’t get a ton of shots off (22nd).
Does the Kings Defense Give Them the Edge in This One?
The second half of this top goaltender matchup tonight features Jonathan Quick (19-13-2) in net for the Kings. Much like his counterpart down the ice, Quick has struggled lately despite having the 5th best save percentage in the league. Quick has dropped four of his last six starts and has yielded 3+ goals in four of his last five. Quick should have the edge in the 1/13 NHL free pick against an Anaheim offense that has scored two goals or less in four of their last six games. The Ducks don’t put a lot of pressure on opposing goalies either, ranking second to last in the NHL in shots to go along with their 25th scoring offense and 24th ranked power play unit.
1/13 NHL Free Pick Betting
The public is liking the Kings -115 as it’s the 6th most popular wager of the NHL slate gaining over 65% of the wagers. Anaheim’s struggling offense dooms them in this contest. The home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two and the Kings are 5-2 their last 7 at the Staples Center. Location is key in tonight’s tilt.
Pick: Los Angeles Kings -115
