The Los Angeles Kings are set to head into the Honda Center when they face a division and cross-town rival, the Anaheim Ducks, on Tuesday night. The matchup will be the first of five meetings between the Western Conference powerhouses, and it could be a first-round playoff series preview as both teams currently hold the third and sixth spots in the postseason standings. The Ducks have struggled for the last three weeks after getting off to an excellent start to the season, and they are still recuperating from a five-game losing streak in November.

The Kings have struggled quite a bit as well, and prior to Monday’s game against the St. Louis Blues they have lost four of their last five matchups. The team’s offense has been non-existent for over a month, and Los Angeles has averaged only 2.3 goals over its last 13 games. The only reason the Kings have remained competitive over that span is because of their solid defense and excellent goaltending. Let’s take a closer look at the Kings versus Ducks matchup with predictions and analysis.

Kings at Ducks Betting Story Lines

The Ducks have lost seven of their last 10 games, and they are coming off a shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. The team gave up three goals in the second period alone but played decently and stayed competitive throughout the matchup. Anaheim has lost six of its last seven games on the road but is still undefeated in regulation inside of the Honda Center.

Anaheim will play four of its next six games as home but will face a list of the Western Conference’s best teams over that span. The Ducks have continued to score on offense and stay aggressive with the puck, yet they still struggle to produce meaningful offense on the road. The team will need leading scores Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to set the tone and produce on offense if those dry spells continue at home against the Kings.

Los Angeles has lost four of its last five games but managed to send three of those losses into overtime and still earn in points in the standings. The team has not been dominant throughout the season, yet it continues to keep pace in a tough Pacific Division. Goaltender Ben Scrivens replaced the struggling and injured Jonathan Quick in front of the net, and he has started the last nine games for the Kings.

Los Angeles has gone 5-4 in that span but managed to earn eight points in the standings. Offensively, the team is being led by Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards, who have 24 and 20 points, respectively. The team, however, has struggled to score goals during the last half of November and has been losing close, one-goal games. Los Angeles has not lost by multiple goals since late October.

Kings at Ducks NHL Betting Odds and Key Trends

Anaheim opened as a -129 moneyline favorite over the +117 underdog Kings at BetOnline. The total was set at five goals, with the “over” being favored at -109 .Los Angeles is 4-0 during the last game of a three-games-in-four-nights situation. The team is also 4-1 during its last five road games but is 1-4 during its last five overall games.

The Ducks are 6-1 during their last seven against the Pacific Division and are 9-2 during their last 11 against the Western Conference. The team, however, has struggled recently and is only 3-7 during its last 10 overall games. Head-to-head, the home team has won the last four meetings, while the over is 5-1 during the last six matchups. Los Angeles has won five of the last seven matchups between the two squads.

Free NHL Picks: Kings at Ducks Betting Predictions

Tuesday’s matchup is a big game that both teams want to win. The Kings have been playing excellent on the defensive end, and Scrivens has done an impressive job of replacing Quick as the primary goaltender. The Ducks have struggled over the last few weeks, but they have continued to play well at home. Expect this game to be a physical matchup that favors a much larger Anaheim team. This game will probably have a playoff feel to in, and even though it might be close, expect the Ducks’ home winning streak to continue. Take Anaheim on the moneyline.

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