Jan. 17, 2026, 12:58 p.m. ET
The LA Kings (19-16-12) and Anaheim Ducks (23-21-3) meet in the back half of their 2-day, Southern California home-and-home with a Saturday tussle. The opening puck drop from Honda Center will be at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Kings vs. Ducks odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Ducks lead 2-1
Los Angeles was a -144 favorite in Friday’s game on home ice. The Kings blew a 2-0 lead and lost to the Ducks 3-2 (Under 6.5) in a shootout. With the loss, LA has now dropped 4 in a row at home (0-1-3). The Kings are 1-2-3 over their last 6 games overall.
Anaheim has now won 2 in a row after having lost 9 in a row from Dec. 22-Jan. 10. Since Dec. 11, the Ducks are 4-11-2.
Watch the NHL on Fubo!Kings at Ducks odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Kings -118 (bet $118 to win $100) | Ducks -102 (bet $102 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Kings -1.5 (+195) | Ducks +1.5 (-235)Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)Kings at Ducks projected goalies
Anton Forsberg (7-6-3, 2.65 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Ville Husso (5-4-1, 3.33 GAA, .884 SV%)
This would be Forsberg’s second start since Dec. 29, with the other coming last Saturday when the 11-year veteran yielded 3 goals on 26 shots in a 4-3 shootout win over the Oilers in Edmonton (Kings +146, Over 6.5 hit).
In his last game, Husso stopped 30 of 34 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 8 (Hurricanes won at -245 as the Over 6.5 hit). That game came in a return from AHL San Diego, where the 30-year-old had been playing since Dec. 18.
Kings at Ducks picks and predictionsPrediction
Kings 4, Ducks 3
LA has won 7 of the last 11 series meetings and is 2-1 over the last 3 meetings in Anaheim.
When playing the second day in back-to-backs, the Kings have gone 5-1-1 this season.
Neither club has filed good results over recent weeks, but the Kings have logged better 5-on-5 metrics at both ends of the ice. And for the season, LA has significantly underperformed in the expected-goals department; that’s mostly due to a low 5-on-5 shooting percentage. Expecting some helping regression in the Kings’ offensive numbers, and they have been trending the right way on the power play (7 for last 28).
Anaheim’s defensive numbers have been abysmal for the last month-plus. Since Dec. 11, the Ducks have allowed 4.29 goals per game. Add to that one major offensive problem for the Ducks: star forward Leo Carlsson is expected to be out through the Olympic break after undergoing surgery on his left leg on Friday.
BACK THE KINGS -118.
Lots of juice here. PASS.
The Over is 3-1 across the last 4 series meetings and is 8-2 in Anaheim’s last 10.
Both clubs rank in the NHL’s bottom 12 in penalty killing. The likely netminder pair offers no pushback toward the Under side, either.
TAKE THE OVER 6.5 (+100).
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