Ottawa Senators vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Prediction for Thursday October 29 2026
The Ottawa Senators will travel to Los Angeles, California, Thursday night for a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings inside Crypto.com Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 10 PM ET, with coverage available on ESPN+. Ottawa comes into Thursday night 8-5 this season, having dropped three of its last five games following a three-goal road loss to Vegas last time out. The Los Angeles Kings return home Thursday struggling this season at 3-6-2, having lost two of their last three games following a road loss to Chicago. This game is a pick'em, with both teams listed at -110 and the total set at 5.5 goals. Stay connected with our NHL Picks.
Senators Have Offense At Times
The Ottawa Senators offense is averaging 2.85 goals on 25.5 shots per game this season, but the Senators have scored just four total goals across their last three losses. Defensively, Ottawa is allowing 2.92 goals on 26.2 shots per game, and the Senators have given up 13 goals during their last three losses. Tim Stützle is leading the Ottawa offense this season with 16 points, including eight goals and eight assists. Drake Batherson is second on the roster with 13 points this season.
Jonas Johansson was solid between the pipes in his last outing for Ottawa, giving up two goals on 27 shots to post a .926 save percentage in just over 58 minutes on the ice. Shane Pinto provided the only offensive spark for Ottawa, scoring one goal on four shots in just over 23 minutes of ice time.
Key Injury Report for Ottawa:
- Warren Foegele (Day-To-Day) – Oct 29
- Thomas Chabot (Out) – Oct 31
- Linus Ullmark (IR) – Nov 7
- William Eklund (IR) – Jan 5
Kings Look To Improve Defensively
The Los Angeles Kings offense is averaging 2.55 goals on 27 shots per game this season. Defensively, Los Angeles is allowing 3.36 goals on 28.6 shots per game, and the Kings have given up five total goals across their last two losses. Artemi Panarin is leading the Los Angeles offense this season with 11 points, including a team-high seven goals. Alex Laferriere is second on the roster with nine points, and he leads the team with seven assists. Brandt Clarke and Adrian Kempe round out the top scorers for Los Angeles with eight points apiece.
Anton Forsberg was mediocre between the pipes for Los Angeles in its last outing, giving up two goals on 27 shots to post a .926 save percentage in just over 58 minutes of ice time. Samuel Helenius provided the only offensive spark for Los Angeles, scoring the team's lone goal in the game.
Key Injury Report for Los Angeles:
- Corey Perry (Day-To-Day) – Oct 29
- Drew Doughty (Day-To-Day) – Oct 29
- Mats Zuccarello (IR) – Nov 4
- Alex Turcotte (IR) – Oct 29
- Jakub Dvorak (IR-NR) – Oct 31
Ottawa Senators vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Prediction
Pick: Los Angeles Kings -110
Los Angeles should have a slight advantage in this matchup because of its defensive structure and ability to limit scoring opportunities around the net. The Kings are most effective when they control the neutral zone and force opposing teams to dump the puck rather than carry it into the offensive zone. Ottawa has enough offensive talent to make this competitive, particularly with Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk capable of creating scoring chances in different ways. However, the Senators will need to remain disciplined because Los Angeles can take advantage of turnovers and turn them into extended offensive possessions. Adrian Kempe should be an important factor for the Kings, especially with his ability to generate shots and capitalize on defensive breakdowns. Ottawa could find success by establishing a physical presence and getting traffic in front of the net, but Los Angeles should be able to limit those opportunities with its defensive positioning. Expect the Kings to control enough of the action to secure a close home victory.
Pick: Under 5.5
This matchup could be decided by defensive execution rather than offensive production, especially if Los Angeles succeeds in slowing down Ottawa's attack. The Kings should emphasize puck possession and defensive responsibility, making it difficult for the Senators to generate consistent scoring chances. Ottawa will need to work through the neutral zone and create opportunities around the net, but Los Angeles has the defensive personnel to keep those chances limited. The Senators also have enough physicality to make this a difficult matchup for the Kings, which could lead to extended stretches without many quality scoring opportunities. Neither team should want to trade chances throughout the game, particularly with both offenses capable of taking advantage of defensive mistakes. Look for a tightly contested matchup with fewer open looks and a total that stays below the number.
Final Picks: Los Angeles Kings and Under 5.5