The New York Rangers welcome the Los Angeles Kings to Madison Square Garden for a compelling Saturday afternoon matchup that pits two teams heading in opposite directions.

The Kings arrive in New York looking to bounce back from a recent 3-1 loss to New Jersey that snapped their impressive six-game winning streak, while the Rangers aim to build momentum after securing just their third victory in eleven games with a 3-2 win over Buffalo.

Recent history between these teams has been remarkably even, with each squad claiming five victories in their last ten meetings, including the Kings' narrow 2-1 win in their most recent encounter this January.

The contrast in defensive performances could prove decisive, as Los Angeles enters the game tied for first in goals against average (2.55), while New York has struggled lately, allowing nearly four goals per game over their last ten contests.

Rangers' star forward Artemi Panarin (11 points in last 10 games) and Kings' captain Anze Kopitar (3 goals, 8 assists in last 10) look to be the offensive catalysts for their respective teams in this cross-conference battle.

As these Original Six and modern-era powerhouses prepare to face off at the World's Most Famous Arena, hockey fans can expect an intriguing tactical battle between two teams desperate to improve their positioning in their respective division races.

New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings: who will win?

For tonight's Rangers vs Kings matchup, our predictive model gives the Kings a 57.67% chance of defeating the Rangers.

Los Angeles Kings: 57.67% win probability

  • Strong defensive performance (75 goals against in 29 games)
  • Consistent winning record (17 wins in 29 games)
  • Recent momentum (LWWWW in last 5 games)

New York Rangers: 42.33% win probability

  • Inconsistent recent form (WLLWL in last 5 games)
  • Lower scoring efficiency (89 goals in 28 games)
  • Mid-table position (9th in Eastern Conference)

At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.

New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings odds

New York RangersLos Angeles Kings
moneyline-112 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)-105 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Key stats

  • 1
    The New York Rangers have won 15 out of 28 matches this season.
  • 2
    The Los Angeles Kings have won 17 out of 29 matches this season.
  • 3
    With 31 points, the New York Rangers holds the 9th position in the league standings.
  • 4
    Los Angeles Kings's 37 points place them 4th in the rankings.

New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings form

New York Rangers
New York Rangers
Latest matches
W
L
L
W
L
Victories
2/5 (40%)
Defeats
3/5 (60%)
Dec 12, 2024
Buffalo Sabres2:3New York Rangers
Dec 10, 2024
Chicago Blackhawks2:1New York Rangers
Dec 8, 2024
Seattle Kraken7:5New York Rangers
Dec 7, 2024
Pittsburgh Penguins2:4New York Rangers
Dec 3, 2024
New Jersey Devils5:1New York Rangers
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
Latest matches
L
W
W
W
W
Victories
4/5 (80%)
Defeats
1/5 (20%)
Dec 13, 2024
New Jersey Devils3:1Los Angeles Kings
Dec 11, 2024
New York Islanders1:3Los Angeles Kings
Dec 8, 2024
Minnesota Wild1:4Los Angeles Kings
Dec 5, 2024
Dallas Stars2:3Los Angeles Kings
Dec 1, 2024
Ottawa Senators2:5Los Angeles Kings

New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings head to head

New York Rangers

67%

Los Angeles Kings

33%

Jan 21, 2024

Los Angeles Kings

2 : 1

New York Rangers

Dec 11, 2023

New York Rangers

4 : 1

Los Angeles Kings

Feb 26, 2023

New York Rangers

5 : 2

Los Angeles Kings

Nov 23, 2022

Los Angeles Kings

3 : 5

New York Rangers

Jan 25, 2022

New York Rangers

3 : 2

Los Angeles Kings

Jan 11, 2022

Los Angeles Kings

3 : 1

New York Rangers