Los Angeles vs Toronto: The Kings can stop the opponent on fire

Toronto has been looking good lately. Sheldon Keefe's team won 11 of the previous 13 games. The Leafs will play their next game on the road against the Los Angeles Kings. Will the Canadian team achieve another success? There are several options to bet on.

Todd McLellan's team was excellent in early to mid-November, winning 7 matches in a row. But then the problems came into play again. First, LAK completed their road trip with a respectable finish, only losing to Winnipeg outside of regular time, but on approaching the game with Toronto, they lost three home games in a row: in regular time against Carolina and Washington and, most importantly, in overtime against a weak Arizona. Was the Kings' recent successful stretch a mere coincidence?

The Los Angeles Kings immediately fell out of the playoff zone at the end of a disappointing series. The team ranks sixth in the Pacific Division, three points behind the top four.

11 wins in 13 games is a great result. What's more, 4 of the 11 wins were clean sheets. This is already a top result at the level of the most obvious contenders for the Stanley Cup. Moreover, it's important to note that the stunts aren't just the merit of one goalie, but a consequence of the balanced play they finally achieved. The phenomenal work of Jack Campbell should not be overlooked, either. The goalie, who was considered before the start of the championship as Petr Mrazek's backup, doesn't seem to be giving up the role of the first goalie anymore even after Mrazek returns to the game. Campbell has a 1.66 passer rating, over 94% of shots deflected, 3 shutouts, and has 10-4 in 15 starts. Joseph Woll, 23, had 1 more shutout in Toronto's last game on the road against the New York Islanders (3-0).

• Toronto: Ilya Mikheyev, Petr Mrazek – not playing;
• Los Angeles: Lias Andersson, Quinton Byfield, Sean Walker, Drew Doughty – not playing.

The opponents have already played each other this season, Los Angeles thrashing Toronto away with a score of 5-1.

Toronto has been looking very powerful of late. The team plays balanced hockey, pays close attention to their scoring chances, and is very confident in their last corner, where the ex-L.A. goalie Jack Campbell does a phenomenal job. At Staples Centre, though, Toronto is unlikely to have it easy. For every Campbell, the Kings have their own Jonathan Quick. And overall, it's highly doubtful that the recent winning streak, including the 5-1 in Toronto, was a fluke. The LAC simply owes it to themselves to prove it. A loss to Arizona, albeit in back-to-back games, could be the bottom from which Todd McLellan's team will bounce back.

Prediction: Los Angeles will claim the win in a low-scoring game, with a bunch of saves by Campbell and Quick.

• Los Angeles Not To Lose for 1.71;
• Los Angeles To Win The Match for 2.39;
• Los Angeles To Win The Match for 2.452.