The Los Angeles Kings are far from what you would call online betting NHL favorites and with their recent lack of success looming over their shoulders the Kings are starting to feel the heat. Not so much because of their current 22-20-4 record but rather because of the recent influx of sports franchises into the city of Los Angeles. The Kings only have to compete with 6 other teams in the Pacific Division, but they have to compete with 8 – soon to be 9 – other clubs within Los Angeles. In a city obsessed with winning the team that finds the amount of success will surely win the heart of the people and so far the Kings certainly wouldn’t meet that winning standard. The Crowns are seldom listed as favorites on a hockey betting site and it’s hard to imagine the City of Angels holding the Kings in higher regard than the incoming NFL teams or even the existing NBA and MLB franchises. But in the end the best way for the Kings to win over fans is by consistently dominating on the ice.
Los Angeles will get another chance to prove themselves when they travel to the city that never sleeps to take on the New York Rangers at the Madison Square Garden. This will be the first time these two franchises face each other this season so the Kings have a golden opportunity to make a lasting impression, something they utterly need. Let’s see if the bookies think picking Los Angeles on a bet on NHL lines is a wise decision.
Since the Rangers – who are 4th in the Metropolitan Division – find themselves in a much less precarious situation than the Kings, it’s only natural for hockey betting sites to come out in favor of New York. Interestingly enough, the Rangers are one of the few sports franchises that can sympathize with the Kings and Los Angeles’ herd of professional sports teams. This Monday night, online betting NHL fans will find out just which city is better suited to meet the pressing demands of having more than 8 professional sports franchises reside in your municipality.
The Rangers are riding into this matchup on a 2-game winning streak after picking up back-to-back wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. Monday’s night contest will mark the first of a 3-game road stretch that New York will have to fare. The Rangers are 4 points behind the Penguins and 7 points behind the division leading Capitals so New York needs a solid performance through this road stretch in order to stay in the hunt.
Hockey betting sites are still giving Los Angeles a fighting chance in this contest despite the fact that the Kings have lost their last three contests consecutively, including their most recent loss to the Rangers local brethren, the New York Islanders. As of late New York has one up over Los Angeles, but we’ll have to see if the Kings have anything to say about that.