Vegas Golden Knights vs. Los Angeles Kings: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 10/11/2022

Time: 10 p.m. ET

Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

Where to watch:  ESPN

DraftKings: Kings -115, Golden Knights -105

FanDuel: Kings -118, Golden Knights -102

BetMGM: Kings -115, Golden Knights -105

Caesars: Kings -115, Golden Knights -105

For anyone living in Las Vegas, you understand that this might be the most important season in the Vegas Golden Knights’ history, and it’s not even close. Vegas has its third coach in six years, it has the talent to get back to the playoffs, but there’s no surefire No. 1 goalie and there’s questions about the fourth line and such. So of course they have to play the Los Angeles Kings when the season opens up Tuesday, a team that made the playoffs and arguably got better this offseason.

The Golden Knights are hoping that Bruce Cassidy is the one that can push the buttons to get the Golden Knights over the top. Cassidy was brought in a week after he was fired by the Boston Bruins, and now leads a group with Stanley Cup aspirations. And if there’s a roster that’s best suited for his system outside of Boston, it might be Vegas. He has Jack Eichel at his disposal, a dangerous center with a skillset that not even David Pastrnak came close to having. There’s also Mark Stone, hopefully at 100%, and the addition of Phil Kessel should provide a spark for this anemic power play from a year ago.

But the biggest question for the Golden Knights comes in goal. With Robin Lehner out for the year due to hip surgery, the onus is on Logan Thompson and Adin Hill to carry the load in net. Thompson came on strong late last year for Vegas in what was seemed a lost year. He got Vegas all the way to Game 81 before being eliminated. With the uncertainty to Lehner and perennial backup Laurent Brossoit, Thompson and Hill – who was acquired in the offseason from the San Jose Sharks – will have to carry the load. Basically, it’s a heavily unproven tandem in net that will need to be good for Vegas to have a chance.

It would also help for Vegas to be healthy after having more than 500 man games lost last year. But, you know, baby steps and whatnot.

They’ll be taking on a Kings team that shocked many by getting back to the playoffs and accelerating what has been a tough rebuild. Their rookies are another year older, Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick do not want to go quietly into the night, and the core of this group believes it can still win together. Oh, and they added Kevin Fiala off a career year, but who’s to say that’s the reason why they’re feeling confident?

Fiala was a cap casualty from Minnesota that was going to command a boat load of money after a career-high 85 points in all 82 games last season. Think of how important that is: When Fiala came to Minnesota, he joined a roster that couldn’t score at all. In three years with the Wild, he posted career-highs in points and goals. If you’re the Kings, of course you bank on success like that and of course you put him on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe.

I’d expect Quick to get the start on opening night.

Vegas is on a mission. They want to get back to the playoffs. Eichel is set for a big year. Try telling me I can’t believe, it’s so hard not to. Vegas wins 5-2

Golden Knights are 64-31 against division opponents the past three years.

Kings are 7-11 at home when the total is six or more the past three years.

Golden Knights:

Jonathan Marchessault -- Jack Eichel -- Reilly Smith

Brett Howden -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone

Phil Kessel -- William Karlsson -- Michael Amadio

Paul Cotter -- Nicolas Roy -- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez -- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb -- Shea Theodore

Ben Hutton -- Zach Whitecloud

Logan Thompson

Kings:

Kevin Fiala -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore -- Phillip Danault -- Gabe Vilardi

Alex Iafallo -- Quinton Byfield -- Arthur Kaliyev

Brendan Lemieux -- Blake Lizotte -- Carl Gundstrom

Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty

Sean Walker -- Matt Roy

Alex Edler -- Sean Durzi

Jonathan Quick

Points: Jonathan Marchessault -- 66

Goals: Jonathan Marchessault -- 30

Assists: Chandler Stephenson -- 43

Goalie: Robin Lehner -- 23-17-2, 2.83 GAA, .907 SV%

Points: Anze Kopitar -- 67

Goals: Adrian Kempe -- 35

Assists: Anze Kopitar -- 48

Goalie: Jonathan Quick -- 23-13-9, 2.59 GAA, .910 SV%