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Los Angeles heads to Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday night for a 9:00 PM ET puck drop against Calgary on ESPN+ in the regular-season finale for both clubs. The Kings come in at 35-26-20 and have already punched their playoff ticket, while the Flames sit at 33-39-9 and are playing out the final game of a disappointing season. That gives this matchup a slightly awkward feel from a betting angle. One team still has reason to care about sharpness and seeding. The other is mostly trying to end on a better note at home. Los Angeles is also bringing the better recent form into this spot. The Kings are 6-0-2 over their last eight games, even after Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss

Seattle closes its season on the road Thursday night, heading into Ball Arena for a 10:00 PM ET puck drop against Colorado on ESPN. The Kraken come in at 34-36-11 and out of the playoff picture, while the Avalanche are 54-16-11, first in the Central, first in the West, and already locked into the Presidents’ Trophy. That changes the feel of this game a little. Seattle is trying to finish with something positive. Colorado is trying to stay sharp without giving away anything cheap before the postseason. The spot is rough for Seattle. The Kraken are coming off Wednesday’s 4-1 loss in Vegas, so this is a back-to-back on the road against one of the league’s best home teams. Colorado,

Washington heads to PNC Park for Thursday’s series finale with first pitch set for 12:35 p.m. ET. The Nationals are 8-10 and fourth in the NL East, while the Pirates are 11-7 and second in the NL Central. Pittsburgh already holds a 2-1 series lead after Wednesday’s 2-0 win, and the market has the Pirates as a moderate home favorite again. The weather looks warmer than your original note suggested, with temperatures expected to rise into the low 80s around game time and thunderstorms more likely later in the day than right at first pitch. The pitching matchup is Foster Griffin against Braxton Ashcraft, and that is a big reason this game has held in a fairly tight range rather

San Francisco closes its road trip in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon with first pitch set for 12:40 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park. The Giants come in 6-12 and tied for last in the NL West after four straight losses, while the Reds are 11-7 and tied atop the NL Central after taking the first two games of this series. The game is on NBC Sports Bay Area and Reds.TV, and the weather looks warm enough to matter, with temperatures in the mid-70s and thunderstorm chances around the game window. The pitching matchup is Landen Roupp against Chase Burns, and that is a real part of why Cincinnati is favored again. Roupp enters 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA and