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The New York Rangers visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, with puck drop set for 10:00 PM on ESPN+. The Rangers come in at 21-22-6, and it feels like they are still trying to find a stable identity night to night. The Kings are 19-17-13, and this looks like one of those home games they really need to bank if they want their position to improve.
New York is off a 6-3 win over the Flyers where the offense finally looked sharp, with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad driving the damage. Los Angeles is coming off a 2-1 loss to Anaheim, and that kind of tight loss can either clean up a team’s details or just underline how thin their margin is right now.
The betting setup is simple on paper: Kings are the favorite at -188, the Rangers are +150, and the total sits at 6.0 with plus-money on the Over. The tricky part is that injuries are not background noise here, especially with key names missing on both sides.
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New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Kings Odds
These are the current betting lines, but numbers can shift throughout the day, so always monitor the latest NHL odds at New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Kings odds before placing anything.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Rangers | +150 | +1.5 (-169) | O 6.0 (+100) |
| Los Angeles Kings | -188 | -1.5 (+137) | U 6.0 (-123) |
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Jan 20, 2026 22:10 EST
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-159
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New York Rangers Betting Form
The Rangers have shown they can explode offensively, and that 6-3 game against Philadelphia is the cleanest example. When Panarin is creating and Zibanejad is finishing, New York suddenly looks like a team you do not want to see at plus money. The problem is the in-between games, where the five-on-five attack can flatten out and they start needing a power-play bump that is not always there.
Their style is still very Rangers-like in the physical areas. They lead the league in hits (1,289) and rank eighth in blocks (749), and that matters for betting because it can keep them alive as a dog even when the puck is not bouncing their way. The flip side is that shot-blocking and heavy defending can also lead to messy sequences, odd rebounds, and penalties. Sometimes that pushes totals higher than you expect.
The injury situation is not small. Igor Shesterkin is out, and that alone changes how you price both the moneyline and the total. Adam Fox being out also removes a major driver from their transition game.
Los Angeles Kings Betting Form
The Kings are in that frustrating zone where they are competitive most nights, but the results do not always match the effort. Losing 2-1 to Anaheim fits that story. Adrian Kempe scoring is not the issue, it is the consistency of their chance quality and how often they can actually force the game into their preferred structure.
From a betting perspective, Los Angeles often looks best when they can slow things down, win the neutral-zone game, and make opponents work for clean looks. They have 1,336 shots on goal this season (17th), and their power play has 23 goals (also 17th). Those are middle-of-the-pack numbers that can still win games, but it means they do not have a huge special teams cushion if they fall behind early.
Their injuries also pull at the core of what they want to be. Anze Kopitar being out is a big deal for matchup deployment and puck possession. Trevor Moore is out with an illness, and Corey Perry is out for personal reasons. That is a real chunk of the forward group missing, and it makes the Kings feel less built to separate on the scoreboard.
New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Kings Matchup Breakdown
This matchup comes down to game script. If the Kings can get this into a slower, controlled game, it helps them justify being the favorite even with a thin forward group. New York, though, is coming off a game where the offense was flying, and they will probably try to keep the pace from bogging down. That tension usually shows up early, and it matters for totals bettors.
Special teams might be the swing point, even if it is uncomfortable to rely on it. The Kings have been average on the power play by production, but if the Rangers are forced into extended defensive-zone time without Fox and without Shesterkin behind them, the penalty kill becomes a bigger stress test. On the other side, if the Kings are missing key centers, their PK structure can get stretched too. It is not that either unit is elite here. It is that the injuries can make both units more fragile.
Goaltending is where I hesitate a little. We know Shesterkin is out, but the Kings’ starter is not something I am treating as confirmed here. If Los Angeles goes with their stronger option, you can justify the favorite price more. If not, that -188 starts to feel heavier. This is the kind of spot where it helps to think in terms of price sensitivity and volatility, not just “who is better.” If you want a framework for that approach, the NHL betting guide is useful, and the Stanley Cup betting strategies page is a good refresher on market math and series-style thinking that still applies to single games.
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New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Kings Predictions and Best Bets
My first lean is the Kings to win, but not because it feels like some slam dunk. It is more about the Rangers’ injury profile, especially in net and on the blue line, and the fact that Los Angeles gets last change at home. If the Kings can keep Panarin’s line from getting too many clean entries, they can grind this into a one-goal game where the favorite usually survives.
That said, -188 is not cheap, and I do not love paying that kind of tax when the Kings are missing Kopitar and Moore. If this number creeps higher, it starts to feel like a pass or a spot where you consider a regulation angle only if the price is fair. I am not forcing it.
The total is where I see more natural value. New York has gone Over in seven of the last 10, and Los Angeles has been Over in four of the last five. Add in Shesterkin being out, and you have a real path to goals even if the Kings try to slow the pace. A 3-3 game is not some crazy ask here, and once you are sitting on 6.0 with plus money, the math gets more interesting.
If I am choosing one bet to actually make, I would rather take the plus price than lay heavy juice on a team that has been living in close games. It is not perfect, but it feels like the cleaner value decision.
Best Bet: Over 6.0 (+100).
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
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The other edge is transparency. You can compare styles and performance through the top sports handicappers section, then drill into the handicapper leaderboard to see who is producing and how. If you want to follow along day to day, the NHL previews hub is a good way to stay organized, and if you prefer a more direct path to full-card access, you can buy expert picks and follow the approach that fits your risk tolerance.
