by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Feb 23, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Where to watch: MSGSN, BSW
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Devils -140, Kings +120
FanDuel: Devils -152, Kings +126
BetMGM: Devils -150, Kings +125
Caesars: Devils -145, Kings +122
Season record
Kings: 32-19-7
Devils: 37-15-5
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Kings - Devils preview, prediction and analysis
The Los Angeles Kings will be playing the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, February 23 in Newark, New Jersey.
The Los Angeles Kings lost against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, February 21 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1. The Los Angeles Kings currently rank 2nd in the Pacific Division.
Anze Kopitar scored for the third straight game, and Pheonix Copley made 18 saves for the Kings (32-19-7), who had won four in a row.
It was the start of a five-game road trip for Los Angeles that continues Thursday at the New Jersey Devils.
"We're leaving here without any points, but I thought we played a pretty good game," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "We played hard, we created a number of chances. … We've just got to find a way to convert, and some nights it doesn't go your way.
"But I didn't think we had a lot of passengers. We had everybody engaged in the game, so we'll chalk it up, we'll move on and try to recover for the next one."
Minnesota scored the first two goals of the game before Kopitar ended Gustavsson's shutout when he scored on a rebound with 21 seconds left for the 2-1 final.
"We got some good [offensive]-zone time, we just couldn't get it to go," said Kopitar, the Kings captain. "Their goalie played good. Give them credit with where credit is due."
The Los Angeles Kings have won seven of their last 10 games.
The New Jersey Devils lost against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, February 21 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey with a score of 5-2. The New Jersey Devils currently rank 2nd in the Metropolitan Division.
Jack Hughes had two assists, and Vitek Vanecek made 13 saves for the Devils (37-15-5), who had their six-game home winning streak end. It was the first regulation loss for Vanecek in 14 games (12-1-1) since Dec. 28.
"We gave up an abnormal amount of good chances," said New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff, whose team played its fourth game in six days. "It just looked like fatigue. It looked like the team was flat this morning. We played a lot of hockey. I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. ... We've had a couple of guys that have played through illness. We need to freshen the team up and focus on the next game."
Justin Barron gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 3:54 of the first period. Jesper Bratt tied it 1-1 at 13:48 on a snap shot from the high slot. Johnathan Kovacevic gave Montreal a 2-1 lead at 2:29 of the second period on a snap shot from the slot.
Sam Montembeault stopped Miles Wood on a breakaway at 2:47, and Suzuki made it 3-1 on a wrist shot from the top of the left face-off circle at 3:42.
"I mean, he made the saves exactly when they needed it," Devils captain Nico Hischier said. "And even there in the second, when they score right away, and we got a break where he makes the save. It's definitely a big game from him."
Montembeault denied Brendan Smith on a breakaway after he exited the penalty box at 13:35, and later stopped Dawson Mercer on a breakaway at 2:50 of the third period.
Rem Pitlick pushed the lead to 4-1 at 5:13 by scoring at the right post. Mercer pulled the Devils within 4-2 at 11:58 with a power-play goal on a rebound at the left post to extend his goal streak to four games (five goals). Mike Matheson scored an empty-net goal at 16:13 for the 5-2 final.
The New Jersey Devils have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Devils 5, Kings 3
The Los Angeles Kings lost against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, February 21 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1. The Los Angeles Kings currently rank 2nd in the Pacific Division.
Anze Kopitar scored for the third straight game, and Pheonix Copley made 18 saves for the Kings (32-19-7), who had won four in a row.
It was the start of a five-game road trip for Los Angeles that continues Thursday at the New Jersey Devils.
"We're leaving here without any points, but I thought we played a pretty good game," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "We played hard, we created a number of chances. … We've just got to find a way to convert, and some nights it doesn't go your way.
"But I didn't think we had a lot of passengers. We had everybody engaged in the game, so we'll chalk it up, we'll move on and try to recover for the next one."
Minnesota scored the first two goals of the game before Kopitar ended Gustavsson's shutout when he scored on a rebound with 21 seconds left for the 2-1 final.
"We got some good [offensive]-zone time, we just couldn't get it to go," said Kopitar, the Kings captain. "Their goalie played good. Give them credit with where credit is due."
The Los Angeles Kings have won seven of their last 10 games.
The New Jersey Devils lost against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, February 21 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey with a score of 5-2. The New Jersey Devils currently rank 2nd in the Metropolitan Division.
Jack Hughes had two assists, and Vitek Vanecek made 13 saves for the Devils (37-15-5), who had their six-game home winning streak end. It was the first regulation loss for Vanecek in 14 games (12-1-1) since Dec. 28.
"We gave up an abnormal amount of good chances," said New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff, whose team played its fourth game in six days. "It just looked like fatigue. It looked like the team was flat this morning. We played a lot of hockey. I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. ... We've had a couple of guys that have played through illness. We need to freshen the team up and focus on the next game."
Justin Barron gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 3:54 of the first period. Jesper Bratt tied it 1-1 at 13:48 on a snap shot from the high slot. Johnathan Kovacevic gave Montreal a 2-1 lead at 2:29 of the second period on a snap shot from the slot.
Sam Montembeault stopped Miles Wood on a breakaway at 2:47, and Suzuki made it 3-1 on a wrist shot from the top of the left face-off circle at 3:42.
"I mean, he made the saves exactly when they needed it," Devils captain Nico Hischier said. "And even there in the second, when they score right away, and we got a break where he makes the save. It's definitely a big game from him."
Montembeault denied Brendan Smith on a breakaway after he exited the penalty box at 13:35, and later stopped Dawson Mercer on a breakaway at 2:50 of the third period.
Rem Pitlick pushed the lead to 4-1 at 5:13 by scoring at the right post. Mercer pulled the Devils within 4-2 at 11:58 with a power-play goal on a rebound at the left post to extend his goal streak to four games (five goals). Mike Matheson scored an empty-net goal at 16:13 for the 5-2 final.
The New Jersey Devils have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Devils 5, Kings 3
Betting trends
Kings are 12-13 in non-conference games this season.
Kings are 7-2 when revenging a loss where opponent scored 5 or more goals this season.
Devils are 9-1 after 2 straight overs this season.
Projected lines
Kings:
Quinton Byfield -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore -- Phillip Danault -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Blake Lizotte -- Alex Iafallo
Gabriel Vilardi -- Rasmus Kupari -- Arthur Kaliyev
Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi -- Matt Roy
Alexander Edler -- Sean Walker
Pheonix Copley
Quinton Byfield -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore -- Phillip Danault -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Blake Lizotte -- Alex Iafallo
Gabriel Vilardi -- Rasmus Kupari -- Arthur Kaliyev
Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi -- Matt Roy
Alexander Edler -- Sean Walker
Pheonix Copley
Devils:
Tomas Tatar -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Yegor Sharangovich -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Ondrej Palat -- Erik Haula -- Fabian Zetterlund
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Jesper Boqvist
Brendan Smith -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- Damon Severson
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Kevin Bahl
Vitek Vanecek
Tomas Tatar -- Nico Hischier -- Dawson Mercer
Yegor Sharangovich -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Ondrej Palat -- Erik Haula -- Fabian Zetterlund
Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Jesper Boqvist
Brendan Smith -- Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves -- Damon Severson
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Kevin Bahl
Vitek Vanecek
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
