Penguins vs Kings Picks and Prediction – 1/21/2025

The Pittsburgh Penguins, sporting a 19-21-8 record, travel to face the Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5) in a cross-conference matchup. Pittsburgh is coming off a 5-2 win against Buffalo, while Los Angeles extended its home dominance with a 5-1 win over Vancouver. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

The Penguins’ offense has leaned heavily on Sidney Crosby, who leads the team with 49 points (12 goals, 37 assists). Rickard Rakell has been the top goal-scorer with 23, including five on the power play. However, inconsistency has plagued Pittsburgh, scoring just 2.96 goals per game while allowing a troubling 3.65. Special teams have been a mixed bag; the Penguins boast a strong 26.6% power-play conversion rate but struggle on the penalty kill at 79.1%. 

In net, Alex Nedeljkovic and Joonas Blomqvist have failed to stabilize the crease, with goals-against averages of 3.33 and 3.53, respectively. Defensively, injuries to Kris Letang and P.O. Joseph add to Pittsburgh’s challenges, leaving the defensive corps stretched thin.

The Kings have thrived at home, boasting a 14-2-1 record at Crypto.com Arena. Adrian Kempe leads the attack with 22 goals, supported by Anze Kopitar’s 30 assists and 42 total points. The Kings’ defense has been stellar, surrendering just 2.42 goals per game. The penalty kill has been effective at 83.2%, and Darcy Kuemper anchors the net with a sparkling 2.10 GAA and a .922 save percentage. 

Despite injuries to key defenders like Drew Doughty and Joel Edmundson, Los Angeles has maintained a disciplined back end, allowing only 24.7 shots per game. Depth and defense have been instrumental to the Kings’ success.

The Kings’ combination of home-ice dominance and a strong defense gives them the edge over the struggling Penguins. Darcy Kuemper’s elite goaltending and Los Angeles’ ability to control the pace make it difficult for Pittsburgh to mount a serious challenge. Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Kings win 4-2.