Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Los Angeles Kings return home from a gruelling East Coast road trip, but with three full days of rest, they will be well-prepared. The Montreal Canadiens, on the other hand, will have little recovery time, having played against the San Jose Sharks just the night before.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings had a tough time on their five-game road swing, securing just one victory—an impressive win against the Carolina Hurricanes (4:2) in the final match. However, their home form is a completely different story. The Kings have won nine of their last ten games at the Crypto.com Arena, with the only slip-up coming in a 1:5 loss to Pittsburgh Penguins on 21 January. They quickly bounced back from that defeat by beating the reigning champions, the Florida Panthers (2:1) at home.
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens’ promising form in January has completely faded, pushing them back outside the wild-card spots, now trailing by two points. Their struggles extend beyond just road games; even at home, they’ve stumbled. Their win over the San Jose Sharks (4:3) ended a miserable run of five consecutive losses since their previous victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning (3:2). That stretch included a disappointing defeat to the Anaheim Ducks (2:3), a team not particularly high in the standings.
Los Angeles Kings vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction
Given the Montreal Canadiens’ current struggles, it’s hard to see them overcoming a dominant home side like the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have conceded just two goals in their last three home games (excluding the Pittsburgh Penguins anomaly) and have already beaten the Canadiens comfortably in Montreal (4:1). Expect another convincing win for the Kings in front of their home crowd.
