Flames vs Kings

Anze Kopitar and the Kings bring a stingy defensive profile into this one, allowing just around 2.5 goals per game behind a hot Darcy Kuemper, while Calgary arrives off a narrow 4-3 loss to Detroit that snapped a three-game winning streak but still leaves the Flames 6-3-1 in their last 10. Los Angeles has been less dominant than its 14-8-8 record suggests, with eight overtime losses and a shaky 4-6-3 home mark, yet Calgary’s 5-11-2 road record and weaker overall goal differential (79 for, 92 against) still tilt the matchup toward the home side. Both rosters are largely intact according to the current ESPN depth charts, with the Kings listing no injuries and the Flames missing depth blueliners Jake Bean (injured reserve) and Zayne Parekh (out on U20 duty), which keeps LA’s top four of Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson and company intact against a Calgary attack leaning heavily on Nazem Kadri and emerging sniper Matt Coronato. Historically, Kopitar and Adrian Kempe have produced consistently versus Calgary, while Kadri has been productive against Los Angeles but not dominant, and with the Kings’ elite five-on-five defending and Calgary just beginning to climb out of an early-season hole in the Pacific standings, I’m backing the Kings moneyline at -178 despite the price being a bit rich. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 11:24

The total of 5.5 looks slightly high for two teams that have been grinding out low-event games, with Los Angeles averaging only about 2.7 goals scored but also just 2.5 allowed, and Calgary’s season-long numbers dragged down by a slow start even as their recent three-game win streak and 7-4 outburst versus Buffalo hint at improved offense. Over the last 10 contests, the Kings are at 2.6 goals for and 2.0 against while the Flames sit at 3.0 for and 2.7 against, and both clubs are leaning on strong goaltending tandems (Kuemper anchoring LA, Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley stabilizing Calgary) plus disciplined defensive structure that has kept most games within one goal. Los Angeles also brings one of the weakest power plays in the league, which reduces the likelihood of special-teams-driven scoring spikes, and with minimal injury disruption on either side and this being the first meeting of the season in a divisional matchup where both are still well short of 41 games and more focused on tightening systems than trading chances, I expect a cautious, defensive tilt that lands on four or five total goals, making Under 5.5 at -115 my preferred total. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 11:24

Given how often the Kings end up in one-goal games and overtime — reflected in their eight overtime losses and modest 82–80 goal differential — the safer angle on the spread is to grab the underdog Flames at +1.5, even with the extra juice at -170. Calgary’s recent form includes a furious late push in the 4-3 loss to Detroit and a run of competitive outings during their three-game win streak, suggesting they can hang around even when they’re not dictating play, and their current lineup, led by Kadri, Yegor Sharangovich and Coronato, is intact aside from depth injuries on the blue line. On the other side, Los Angeles leans heavily on Kopitar, Kempe and Kevin Fiala for offense, but their conservative, defense-first style and average scoring rate often produce tight scorelines rather than blowouts, especially at home where they are only 4-6-3 despite strong overall underlying numbers. With both teams still in the early-season playoff jostling phase and neither likely to open up risk for style points in a divisional game, taking Calgary to keep this within a goal (or win outright) at +1.5 offers a reasonable balance of win probability and cost, though the steep price keeps this to a B- grade rather than a premium edge. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 13/12/2025 11:24