Tampa Bay Lightning vs Los Angeles Kings Betting Pick & Prediction for 1/1

The Tampa Bay Lightning will visit the Los Angeles Kings for an NHL regular season game at Crypto.com Arena. This game is set for Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+.

The Lightning hold a record of 23-13-3 and are led by head coach Jon Cooper. They rank second in the Eastern Atlantic Division. On the other side, the Kings have a record of 16-13-9, with Jim Hiller as their head coach. They stand fifth in the Western Pacific Division.

Lightning vs Kings Game Day Info

• Sport: NHL
• Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Los Angeles Kings
• Venue: Crypto.com Arena
• Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026
• Betting Odds: Los Angeles Kings -131, Tampa Bay Lightning +110

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Preview

Tampa Bay Lightning has been doing well recently. They won their last five games, including a close 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The team managed 29 shots on goal, and their goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, made 25 saves.

Nikita Kucherov has been a key player for the Lightning. In their recent games, he scored goals and assisted his teammates. His performance against the Montreal Canadiens was impressive with two goals.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has been strong in the net for Tampa Bay. He has played in 24 games this season with 15 wins. He has made 575 saves and allowed 55 goals.

Los Angeles Kings Team Preview

The Los Angeles Kings have been inconsistent in recent games. They recorded a strong win against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring 6 goals with Alex Laferriere netting a hat-trick. However, they faced losses against the Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche, struggling to maintain their offensive momentum.

Anton Forsberg has been the main goalie for the Kings. He had a solid performance against the Ducks, saving 25 of 26 shots. Despite this, he allowed 4 goals in the game against the Avalanche, highlighting some defensive challenges for the team.

Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala have been key skaters for the Kings this season. Kempe has 32 points with 13 goals and 19 assists, while Fiala has 25 points with 13 goals. Their contributions will be crucial as the Kings look to improve their record in upcoming games.

BTB Betting Pick

The Los Angeles Kings are favored against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a moneyline of -131. Based on the skater and goaltending stats, the Kings have allowed fewer goals against, ranking 2nd compared to the Lightning’s 3rd. With the Kings being the favorite and having a slight edge in defense, picking the Kings to win is a solid choice with a projected score of 3-2.

The total for this game is set at 5.5. Both teams have strong offensive capabilities, but their defensive stats suggest a tighter game. With a projected total score of 5, the under 5.5 at +109 offers value, considering the defensive rankings of both teams.