The LA Kings are hitting the road to take on the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night in what is a good playoff test for this Kings team. Both teams currently are in a playoff spot with the Kings second in the Pacific Division and the Avalanche third in the Central Division.
These are three things to look for in the game tonight for the Kings against the Avs.
Can the LA Kings win on the road?
The LA Kings have been dominant at home and owns the best home record in the NHL currently. When they go on the road it has been a different story as they are 14-18-5 in those games and have gone 2-4 in the last six games and been out-scored 24-14 during that stretch.
Meanwhile, the Avalanche have been very good as a home team with a 24-10-2 record on the season and currently have a 10-game home winning streak. A win on Thursday night could very well be a statement game for this LA Kings team in an area they have struggled with.
Can the LA Kings out-shoot the Colorado Avalanche?
One thing the LA Kings can do to help their cause against the Colorado Avalanche is to shoot the puck, early and often. While the Avalanche have been good on their home ice, they have struggled when the opposing team have out-shot them and they are only 5-5 in those games.
The Kings are not known for their offense but they have been better as of late. One thing they have done well is limit opponents shots though with their defense and currently have allowed the fewest shots in the NHL at 1,776.
LA Kings Power Play Production
One of the biggest improvements over the past few weeks has been the Kings' power-play production as they have had six power-play goals in their past 22 attempts. The power play percentage of 27.3% over an entire season would be close to the Top 5 in the NHL and this is due in large part to the addition of Andrei Kuzmenko, with assists on two of those six goals.
The Avalanche have been good, but not great, against the power play with a penalty kill percentage of 78.8%. In a game where the Kings seem to be at a disadvantage, capitalizing on something like this could help improve their odds of coming away with a win.
Final Score Prediction: Colorado Avalanche 3, Los Angeles Kings 2
Even with the Kings being on the road, this should be a toughly contest matchup between two very good teams. With the way the Kings are able to play defense and limit scoring chances, neither team should really be able to build a big lead.
It wouldn't be at all surprising if this game was to go to overtime or even a shootout. However, it is hard to look past the performance of the Avalanche at home, especially recently, and the Kings struggles on the road. In the end, the Avalanche are able to do enough to come away with a win but the Kings return home with two games this weekend that will help give them the chance to keep pace with the Vegas Golden Knights.