LA Kings need to avoid mistakes on their penalty kill
In the game against the Sharks, the LA Kings were able to kill all three power-play opportunities that San Jose had. However, prior to that the penalty kill had struggled a bit as they killed only four of seven power-play opportunities in the two games prior to that against the Avalanche and Maple Leafs
The Winnipeg Jets are one of the best power-play teams in the NHL as they currently rank second in the league with a power-play percentage of 29.5% and second in power-play goals with 59. This is going to be a tough game for the Kings and the last thing they need to do is help Winnipeg improve their chances with power-play opportunities.
LA Kings have to score first against the Jets
The LA Kings have been great at home this season and have a 27-4-4 record at Crypto.com Arena but the Winnipeg Jets have been pretty good on the road with a 23-13-0 record. However, they have not been very good when they are playing behind on the road.
When the Jets score first in road games they are 13-2-0 but when their opponents score first they are only 10-11-0. Meanwhile, the Kings play much better and can play their style of hockey when they have the lead and at home are 19-2-1 when they score first.
As fans saw against the Maple Leafs, an early lead doesn't guarantee a win and the Kings will need to play a full 60 minutes, but the early lead is a big boost.
Final Score Prediction: LA Kings 2, Winnipeg Jets 1
There is no question that this is a big game for the LA Kings and should be a great matchup between two playoff teams. However, the players also recognize there is some urgency as the regular season is quickly coming to an end and the chance to get points are shrinking by the day.
This should be a game that neither team really builds a big lead because of the goalies in net but in front of the home crowd the Kings find a way in this one to secure a win.