- Matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Los Angeles Kings
- Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Broadcast: Fanduel Sports Network West
- Betting Odds: Lightning (-182) Kings (+150)
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This exciting matchup features the Los Angeles Kings (16-12-9) taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning (22-13-3) at the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. The Lightning enter this contest as the favorites at -182, while the Kings hold a value of +150. The total points over/under is set at 6.5.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are fresh off a thrilling match that ended in a 4-4 draw against the Canadiens. In that game, Tampa Bay had 13 penalty minutes and demonstrated a strong offensive performance, managing to convert 1 power play opportunity. They registered 4 goals from their 22 shot attempts during the game.
Regarding scoring, the Tampa Bay Lightning have accumulated 125 goals this season (ranking 5th in the league) while conceding 100. With a total of 47 points, their points percentage stands at .618. They have capitalized on 21 goals from 123 power play opportunities, giving them a conversion rate of 17.07%. At even strength, the Lightning have scored 104 goals and allowed 81. With 1,044 shots attempted, their shooting percentage is an impressive 12.0%. Defensively, they’ve faced 1,020 shots against them, holding a .902 save percentage. Opponents have had 129 power play chances (ranking 3rd in the NHL), resulting in 19 goals scored against them.
The goaltender for this matchup will be Jonas Johansson, who has recorded 38 quality starts out of his career games, giving him a quality starts rate of .447. His save percentage stands at .891 across 4,278 minutes on the ice, where he has faced 2,588 shots and made 2,305 saves. Throughout his career, Johansson has conceded 283 goals, resulting in a goals against average of 3.33. His overall record is 40-32-13 across 96 NHL games.
In their most recent game, the Los Angeles Kings faced off against the Ducks, securing a dominant 6-1 victory. They capitalized on 1 out of 4 power play opportunities, scoring 6 times from 30 shots.
This season, the Los Angeles Kings have scored a total of 96 goals for a total of 41 points, giving them a points percentage of .554. They have allowed 92 goals, with 64 scored at even strength and 28 during shorthanded situations. The Kings have netted 80 goals at even strength and just 16 goals on the power play (30th in the league). With 115 power play opportunities, their success rate stands at 13.91%. They have attempted 1,045 shots (19th in the NHL), achieving a shooting percentage of 9.19% and facing 998 shots from opponents. Their penalty kill percentage is 77.60% against 125 power play attempts, and their save percentage is 90.8%.
Anton Forsberg will be the starting goaltender. He boasts 5,174 saves from 5,721 shots against him, showcasing a .904 save percentage. Forsberg holds a career record of 80-86-17 spanning 204 games, with 187 starts and 10,105 minutes logged. His quality starts rate is 51.9%, totaling 97 in his NHL career. Opponents average 2.93 goals per game against him, tallying 547 goals throughout his tenure.
Who do you believe will win this night’s NHL game against the spread or the moneyline?
My Pick: Take Los Angeles (+150)
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