Free NHL Hockey Prediction: Kings vs Flames NHL Odds
Looking for Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames free hockey plays & NHL Odds? NHL betting sees the Kings taking on the Flames on Tuesday February 28th at Scotiabank Sattledome in Calgary, AB. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NHL Hockey matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily NHL hockey predictions.
(20-17-8) Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames (23-20-3)
Date: Tuesday February 28th
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Scotiabank Sattledome in Calgary, AB
NHL Hockey Moneyline Odds: Flames -105
NHL Hockey Puck Line Odds:
NHL Betting Total: 5
Live NHL Odds
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The Kings just made a blockbuster deal of sorts, acquiring arguably the best secondary goalie option in the league in Ben Bishop, and giving up very little in the deal.
The Kings are clearly going for it this year, but sit three points back of the final wildcard seed.
The Flames sit in 7th in the Western Conference and firmly in a wildcard spot at the time of writing with 70 points. Assume that management makes minor depth deals, but won’t mortgage their young core and the future to try and win now.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings gave up a former second-round defensive prospect, Peter Budaj, plus a 5th round pick and a conditional draft pick to acquire Ben Bishop and a 7th pick.
Budaj had been a saving grace for the Kings this season, filling in admirably for the injured Jonathan Quick, but management clearly didn’t believe in him long term.
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Bishop will be a UFA in the summer, so the acquisition is likely destined for a short stay in LA as he will garner a starting role and salary in the off-season.
He will now form a fortuitous duo with Quick, who has recently returned from injury, with two legitimate #1 options.
Next, GM Dean Lombardi will need to address the Kings’ ineptitude on offense, which has basically being driven solely by one player this season.
LA sit in 24th overall in the goals per game category, averaging just 2.4 per game. Jeff Carter leads the team with 30 goals and 55 points, which is 18 better than the next best King.
A downturn in the production from Anze Kopitar has certainly been felt, as has the minimal production and healthy scratches for high-paid winger, Marian Gaborik.
The Kings are in serious need of some offensive additions at the deadline if they want to make the post-season.
Calgary Flames
Calgary is a low-end playoff team, but gaining that playoff experience for the young core is valuable.
They won’t make any moves to significantly take away from their future, but could try to add some depth pieces.
The Flames sit in 18th in goals per game at 2.6, and 17th overall in goals against with 2.8, respectively.
Sean Monahan has 20 goals and 20 assists, a standard looking stat line for him. Johnny Gaudreau is not quite at the point-per-game pace he produced last season, but has managed 43 points in 53 games.
Leading the way is Mikael Backlund, who sits one point ahead of Gaudreau on the stat sheet with 44, granted in 10 more games played. Backlund has teamed with rookie Matthew Tkachuk (41 points) and Michael Frolik (35 points) to give the Flames’ a solid second line, aptly anointed the “3M line.”
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Chad Johnson has taken over the starting role from Brian Elliott, who has struggled this season. Johnson owns a .913 SV% and a 2.54 GAA, besting Elliott’s .899 and 2.75, respectively.
The defensive core has benefitted from the strong play of Dougie Hamilton, who has 39 points and gives the Flames a strong top-three along with Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie.
NHL Betting Trends:
- The Kings rank 24th in goals per game at 2.4
- Los Angeles is 5-6-0 in February
- Los Angeles is 14-16-3 on the road this year
- Jeff Carter is 2nd in goals this year, behind just Sidney Crosby.
- Calgary has a minus-8 goal differential on the season
- Calgary is 15-14-0 on home ice this year
Free Los Angeles Kings vs Calgary Flames NHL Hockey Prediction:
These two teams will be playing in an important four-point game, with Calgary entering the matchup sitting directly ahead of the Kings in the Pacific standings.
The Kings may start Ben Bishop in this game, his first as a King, so I would expect a strong game from the Kings.
4* Free NHL Betting Pick: Under 5.5.
I like a closely-played, low-scoring game between the two.
NHL Free Score Prediction: Los Angeles 1 – Calgary 2
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