For the matchup on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the Vegas Golden Knights are the clear favorites to defeat the Los Angeles Kings.
Vegas enters the game on a four-game winning streak and currently sits atop the Pacific Division, while the Kings have struggled recently, losing three of their last four games and sliding to fifth in the division.
Game Information
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
- Time: 10:00 PM ET
- TV/Stream: TNT, truTV, HBO Max
Key Matchup Analysis
| Feature | Vegas Golden Knights | Los Angeles Kings |
| Current Form | 4-game win streak (7-2 vs SJ most recent) | 1-3 in last 4 games |
| Offense | Ranked 10th (3.25 GF/G); Power Play 4th (26.1%) | Ranked 29th (2.6 GF/G); Power Play 27th (16.3%) |
| Defense | Ranked 13th (2.98 GA/G) | Ranked 5th (2.73 GA/G) |
| Home/Road | Strong 11-5-6 road record | Struggling 7-10-5 home record |
| Injuries | Missing Hill, Hart, Karlsson, Saad | Missing Anze Kopitar, Moore, Armia |
Why Vegas is Predicted to Win
- Kopitar’s Absence: The Kings are missing their captain and top center, Anze Kopitar (upper body). This severely impacts their leadership and defensive structure against elite centers like Jack Eichel.
- Special Teams Mismatch: Vegas holds a massive advantage here. Their 4th-ranked power play faces a Kings penalty kill that ranks 28th in the league.
- Offensive Momentum: Vegas is coming off a 7-goal performance against San Jose. Tomas Hertl is coming off a 5-point game, and Jack Eichel has 7 points in his last 5 games.
- Home Ice “Disadvantage”: Surprisingly, the Kings have been much worse at home (7 wins) than on the road this season. Vegas, conversely, is one of the better road teams in the Western Conference.
The “Upset” Factor
The Kings still boast a top-5 defense and a solid goaltender in Darcy Kuemper. If they can turn the game into a low-scoring “grind,” they have a chance to steal a point. Computer models (like iHeart’s) have occasionally leaned toward a 4-3 Kings upset based on defensive metrics, but the betting consensus strongly favors Vegas. Vegas’s power play and the Kings’ lack of scoring depth (without Kopitar) will likely be the deciding factors.
Prediction: Golden Knights 4, Kings 2.
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