New York Islanders vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Prediction for Thursday November 12 2026

The Islanders head to Los Angeles on Thursday night for a 10 PM ET game at Crypto.com Arena. Neither team has been particularly impressive, although the Islanders have been a little more competitive overall. Los Angeles has struggled badly at home, which is strange for a team that usually wants to make its building difficult for visitors. New York has been defending reasonably well, and that’s what interests me here. I like the Islanders as the road team. Verified U.S. betting prices weren’t available when this preview was prepared. The heat on the ice is warming up and you should make sure you are ready for all the action with our free NHL picks.

New York Has Been Keeping Games Close

The Islanders are 7-6-4 and have gone 3-3-2 on the road. They’ve been competitive, but they’ve also had trouble finishing games. New York has gone 4-3-3 over its last ten, which tells you the Islanders have been collecting points without necessarily winning enough games. That’s frustrating, but it’s better than what Los Angeles has been doing at home.

The Islanders are averaging 2.8 goals per game and allowing 2.9. Those aren’t exciting numbers, but the defense has been good enough to keep them competitive. New York doesn’t need to score five goals to win. The Islanders need to protect their own net, limit turnovers, and make Los Angeles work for its chances. The Kings have been allowing 3.4 goals a night, so there should be opportunities for New York to score.

Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock and Alexander Romanov have been listed unavailable. Those are important losses, particularly on defense. The Islanders need their remaining players to do a better job moving the puck and avoiding mistakes in their own zone. New York also needs more offense from its healthy forwards. Scoring 2.8 goals a night isn’t much room for error, especially when you’re playing on the road.

Los Angeles Has Been Struggling at Home

Los Angeles is 5-9-2 and has won only two of seven home games. That’s a rough start at Crypto.com Arena. The Kings have been competitive in some games, but they haven’t been getting enough consistent results. They’ve gone 5-5 over their last ten, so there has been some improvement. Still, the overall record isn’t particularly encouraging.

The Kings are averaging around three goals per game and allowing 3.4. That’s not a great scoring difference. Los Angeles needs to do a better job protecting its own net because the offense hasn’t been strong enough to cover up defensive mistakes. The Islanders have been defending reasonably well, so the Kings may not get many easy chances. Los Angeles needs to make the most of the opportunities it gets.

Kevin Fiala and Mats Zuccarello have been listed unavailable, which affects the Kings’ offensive depth. Los Angeles needs more production from its remaining forwards and a stronger effort defensively. The Kings can’t afford to get caught chasing the puck for long stretches. Against New York, controlling the neutral zone and limiting turnovers will be important. Los Angeles also needs to take advantage of its home ice, something it hasn’t been doing consistently.

New York Islanders vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Prediction

Moneyline Pick: New York Islanders

I’m taking the Islanders. Neither team has been particularly good, and New York has its own injury problems. But Los Angeles has won only two of seven home games, and the Kings have been allowing 3.4 goals a night. The Islanders have been better defensively, and I think that gives them an edge. New York doesn’t need to score a ton to win this game. A couple of goals and a solid defensive effort might be enough. I’ll take the Islanders.

Total Pick: Under — Pending Verified Line

I lean under. The Islanders have been allowing only 2.9 goals per game, and neither team has been particularly explosive offensively. Los Angeles has been giving up too many goals, so there’s some danger that New York gets more scoring chances than usual. But I think the Islanders will try to keep this game controlled, particularly on the road. Something around 3-2 New York makes sense. I’d need to see the verified total before deciding whether the under is worth betting.

Final Picks: New York Islanders Moneyline | Under (pending verified total)

Disclaimer: Completed November 11, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting goaltenders may change before puck drop.