Los Angeles Kings vs. Seattle Kraken Pick & Prediction APRIL 15th 2025

Stadium: Key Arena Seattle
Logo Los Angeles Kings
VS
Logo Seattle Kraken
0
OPENER
5.5
1.5 -282
CURRENT
5.5o -110
-102
MONEYLINE
-110
6
SCORE
5

Preview and Prediction

The Los Angeles Kings can relax.

As they head into their final two regular season games, a road match against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday and a home game against the Calgary Flames on Thursday, the Kings have already secured home-ice advantage for the first round of the NHL's Western Conference playoffs.

This is a significant advantage for the Kings, who will be facing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round for the fourth consecutive year. Led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers have been the Kings' first-round opponent for the past three seasons, with each series getting progressively shorter. The Kings have lost all three of these series, with the Oilers having home-ice advantage each time.

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It is fitting, then, that the Kings sealed their first-round fate with a 5-0 victory over the Oilers on Monday in Edmonton. This win was led by Adrian Kempe, who scored a goal and had two assists.

"It means a lot," Kempe said of securing home-ice advantage. "We have been strong at home all season and have a lot of confidence there. We have also shown in recent weeks that we can play well on the road. Even though the Oilers were missing some key players, we stuck to our game plan and played a solid game. Our special teams have also been strong lately, which will be crucial in the playoffs. Overall, we are happy with how we are playing right now."

In their most recent game, a 5-0 victory over the Oilers, Kevin Fiala and Warren Foegele each had a goal and an assist. Goalies Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich combined for the shutout, with Kuemper making 16 saves before being replaced by Rittich with 11:47 left in the game.

Kings coach Jim Hiller explained the goalie change, saying, "We thought once we got five goals, we were in a comfortable position and wanted to give Rittich some playing time before our back-to-back games. It was a chance to warm him up and give Kuemper a rest."

Unfortunately, the Kings also suffered a potential setback as young standout Quinton Byfield left the game in the second period after being cross-checked in the back of the helmet by Darnell Nurse. Nurse was given a game misconduct for the play.

The game was physical, with a total of 21 penalties being called between the two Pacific Division rivals.

Hiller did not have an update on Byfield's condition after the game, saying, "He wasn't able to finish, that's all. It doesn't matter how I saw it."

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The Seattle Kraken, in their fourth season as a franchise, will miss the playoffs for the third time. They have won four of their last six games, including a 2-1 victory over the Kings on April 7.

In their most recent game, a 4-3 shootout win against the St. Louis Blues, Jaden Schwartz scored his team-leading 25th goal. Schwartz, who played for the Blues for 10 seasons and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2019, said, "It's special to score every time. I have a lot of good friends and memories from my time with the Blues, so it's nice to get the win and contribute."

PREDICTION
Los Angeles Kings
2
3
Seattle Kraken

Los Angeles Kings vs. Seattle Kraken Recap APR 15TH 2025

Rookie Samuel Helenius scored twice and Alex Turcotte and Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist apiece as the Los Angeles Kings held on to defeat the host Seattle Kraken 6-5 on Tuesday.

Alex Turcotte and Warren Foegele also tallied and Kevin Fiala and Vladislav Gavrikov had two assists apiece for the Kings (48-24-9, 105 points), who will wrap up the regular season Thursday against the visiting Calgary Flames. Los Angeles will then open the playoffs with a series against the Edmonton Oilers.

Kings goaltender David Rittich made 29 saves, including stopping a first-period penalty shot by Chandler Stephenson.

Tye Kartye, Brandon Montour, Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen scored for the Kraken (35-41-6, 81 points), whose season came to an end. Joey Daccord stopped 18 of 24 shots.

The Kings broke a 2-2 tie at 16:05 of the second period. Foegele took a pass from Phillip Danault to the left side of the net and muscled a backhander inside the far post.

Los Angeles made it 4-2 at 17:17, as Daccord made a sprawling save on a shot by Fiala before Laferriere pounced on the rebound and chipped the puck over the prone goalie from the top of the crease.

Laferriere's goal came just seconds after Seattle's Mikey Eyssimont hit the left post with a lacrosse-style shot from behind the net.

Kempe scored on a wrist shot at 1:41 of the third, and Helenius capped the run of four consecutive goals at 2:38 to make it 6-2.

Schwartz scored his team-leading 26th goal for the Kraken at 5:12 and Beniers converted on a power play at 13:34. Tolvanen brought the deficit down to one at 19:30, but Seattle couldn't equalize.

The Kings were outshot 11-5 in the first period but took a 2-0 lead.

Helenius opened the scoring at 15:14, redirecting a shot by Gavrikov past Daccord. Turcotte made in 2-0 on a power play at 16:23, tipping in Kempe's shot.

The Kraken tied it at 2-2 in the second period. Kartye scored on a short-handed breakaway down the right wing at 5:26, and Montour tied it on a blast from the blue line with a man advantage at 13:24.