Kings vs Canadiens Picks and Prediction – 10/17/2024

The Los Angeles Kings are heading to the Bell Centre on Thursday, where they will take on the Montreal Canadians. Get the rest of our free NHL picks here! The Kings have gone 1-0-2 through three games which places them third in the Pacific. Los Angeles took on the Ottawa Senators on Monday when they suffered an 8-7 overtime loss. Darcy Kuemper allowed 8 goals on 41 shots in this game, while Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each scored twice.

With David Rittich starting against Toronto on Wednesday night, Phoenix Copley will make his first appearance of the year in this game. Copley started just 8 games with Los Angeles in the 2023-24 season, posting just a .870 save percentage in that stretch. 37-year-old Anze Kopitar is off to another hot start, as he’s picked up 3 goals and 3 assists through three games. With Drew Doughty being placed on the IR, Vladislav Gavrikov’s role has increased tremendously, as he leads the Kings at 24:09 TOI.

The Montreal Canadians sit fifth in the Atlantic with a 2-2 record. The Canadians faced the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday when they would suffer a 6-3 loss. Sam Montembault allowed 5 goals on 30 shots in this game, while Emil Heineman scored his second goal of the year. 

Sam Montembeault will return to the crease on Thursday, he’s posted a .942 save percentage to go along with his 2-1 record. Cole Caufield has been electric to start the season, netting 4 goals in 4 games. Montreal hasn’t been getting scoring chances, as they rank 28th in the NHL with 26 shots per game.

The Kings are looking to shake off back-to-back overtime losses, while the Canadians also come off a loss against the Penguins. Copley will make his season debut after a rough stint with the Kings last season, while Montembeault looks steady. Expect this game to see lots of scoring, as neither team has been strong defensively. Final score prediction, Kings win, but the play is on the over 5-4.