New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Prediction 16 March 2026
🔊 For the first time since his trade, forward Artemi Panarin will step back onto the ice at Madison Square Garden. Firstly, it's intriguing to see how the fans of his former team will welcome him. Secondly, and more importantly, how will the Kings approach this game against the Eastern Conference's bottom team given their ambitions to break into the playoffs? Let's analyze this NHL regular-season matchup and offer an insightful prediction for the game.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the last three seasons, New York and Los Angeles have faced off five times: the Rangers have claimed victory in one game, while the Kings have won four. Notably, the Kings boast four consecutive wins, whereas the Blueshirts have emerged victorious in 4 out of their last 5 head-to-head matchups at home.
Head-to-head statistics New York Rangers - Los Angeles
New York Rangers Team Overview
The Rangers haven't looked like the worst team in the Eastern Conference this past week, stringing together four consecutive victories-Mike Sullivan's squad's best run of the season. Impressively, they secured three of those wins by a margin of 3+ goals: against Philadelphia (6-2), Calgary (4-0), and Winnipeg (6-3), and recently triumphed over Minnesota (4-2).
At home, the team has picked up points in all of their last five games, despite being the league's lowest-scoring team on home ice (averaging 2.23 goals per game). Since the break, their scoring rate has significantly improved to 3.60, although it's still insufficient to rectify their season-long stats.
Forward Matt Rempe remains on the injury list for the hosts. However, the Canadian is expected to return for the game against the Kings. J.T. Miller and Taylor Raddysh, who both missed several games, have rejoined the lineup, replacing fourth-line players Juuso Pärssinen and Jonny Brodzinski.
Match Results: New York Rangers
Los Angeles Kings Team Overview
The Kings have been alternating wins and losses over the past two and a half weeks, with DJ Smith's team struggling to find consistent form. After their victory over the New York Islanders (3-2), the "Kings" fell to the New Jersey Devils (6-4). Los Angeles currently sits in tenth place in the Western Conference, just two points shy of the top eight.
On the road, the California team's performance has been similarly inconsistent, despite a generally respectable season points percentage of 61.8%, bettered only by three conference leaders. Fans of many teams have reasons to be critical of the "Kings"-their games this season average just 5.3 goals during regulation, the lowest in the NHL.
Injury-wise, the Western team still has Joel Armia and Andrei Kuzmenko sidelined. The Finnish player might return to action by the end of this week. Recently, Anze Kopitar made history for the Kings by becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 1,308 points in 1,505 games.
Match Results: Los Angeles Kings
⚡️ Leaders
Interestingly, even a month after the trade, Artemi Panarin would still be the second-highest scorer for the Rangers. Just recently, after a 2+1 performance against the Flyers, Mika Zibanejad surpassed him with 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists). Ty Cartier has been on a five-game point streak, while Adam Fox and Gabe Perreault have each scored in four consecutive games.
Now, Panarin is comfortably the top scorer for the Kings. His 69 points (22 goals, 47 assists) keep him in the NHL's top-20 scorers. The Russian has registered points in 5 of his last 6 games. The Kings' leading goal-scorer with 26 goals is Adrian Kempe, whose scoring streak has reached eight games. Anze Kopitar has recorded points in 6 of his last 7 outings.
🥅 Goalies
In 7 of the Rangers' 9 games since the break, Igor Shesterkin has been between the pipes, slightly improving his stats after the first week back-currently boasting a 91.6% save percentage with a goals-against average of 2.67. Jonathan Quick conceded five against the Devils but managed a shutout against the Flames.
Anton Forsberg and Darcy Kuemper are sharing time for the Kings. The Swede's numbers are quite low for a team contending for a top-8 spot-an 87.8% save percentage with a GAA of 3.83. The Canadian's stats are similarly aligned, with an 87.4% save percentage and a GAA of 3.39.
Editor's Prediction
This match holds significant importance for Artemi Panarin - the forward has already admitted to feeling a bit nervous about heading to New York. However, seasoned veterans like "Breadman" have learned to manage their nerves throughout their careers. Meanwhile, the Kings need to at least pick up points, especially since only three Western teams have better road records than the "Kings."
Considering the Rangers' performance this season (failing to win in regulation in 18 of their last 20 home games) and Los Angeles' four consecutive victories in their recent head-to-head encounters, our editorial team predicts a double chance X2, meaning the Los Angeles Kings will not lose in regulation time.
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Betting Tips: New York Rangers - Los Angeles Kings
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