New York Islanders vs Los Angeles Kings Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Thursday November 12 2026

The Islanders continue their California trip at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET, facing a Los Angeles club that has struggled to protect its home ice. New York is 7-6-4 after a 3-2 shootout loss to San Jose, extending a four-game winless stretch. The Kings are 5-9-2 and have lost their last two, including a 3-0 shutout by Nashville. Neither side arrives with convincing momentum.

New York has earned points in consecutive games despite not winning, while Los Angeles has only two victories in eight home contests. That makes this an unusual matchup: the visitor has the more credible route to a narrow upset even though the Kings are modest moneyline favorites.

New York was listed at +105 on the DraftKings moneyline, with Los Angeles -118 at BetRivers in the latest comparison. An earlier comparison had Islanders +106 and Kings -117, suggesting only a slight change in the moneyline. The total has been available around 5.5 goals, which is consistent with expectations of a game where defensive possessions and goaltending may matter more than trading chances.

The Islanders at +105 need to win roughly 48.8 percent of the time for the bet to break even. The payout is modest for an underdog, but it remains preferable to laying a favorite price with a Kings team that has been vulnerable at home. The recommendation is limited to even money or better.

Rookie Victor Eklund has scored in three straight games and has six goals through 17 appearances. He adds speed and physicality to an Islanders group that can sometimes struggle to create consistent scoring opportunities. Matthew Schaefer has provided a dangerous element from the defense, while Bo Horvat supplies a more established threat through the middle. Ilya Sorokin made 37 saves in the shootout loss at San Jose.

New York may receive reinforcements. Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Ryan Pulock practiced in regular jerseys Tuesday, but their availability was to be reassessed Thursday. Those returns would materially improve the lineup, particularly Pulock's puck movement and Barzal's speed. Until the Islanders announce their lineup, any boost from those possible returns remains uncertain.

Los Angeles has played better since its 0-4-2 start, going 5-5-0 over the subsequent ten games, but it remains only 2-6-0 at home. Artemi Panarin leads the Kings with eight goals and 18 points, while Adrian Kempe has 13 points in 15 appearances. Those players have the skill to win a close game if New York leaves the middle of the ice unprotected.

The team's penalty kill has been a major weakness at 65.4 percent, one of the worst marks in the league. Los Angeles has also posted a team save percentage around .878. Darcy Kuemper has won five of his last six starts and may play after resting against Nashville, although the starting assignment still needs confirmation.

New York's offensive approach need not be complicated. Eklund and Schaefer can create pressure at the points of attack, and the Islanders can exploit Los Angeles' vulnerable penalty kill if the Kings take unnecessary penalties. Eklund already scored a power-play goal against Los Angeles in the teams' October meeting, which the Kings won 3-2 in overtime. That result is a useful reminder that a close game can swing on a single man-advantage opportunity.

The Kings have enough offensive talent to make New York's defense uncomfortable, especially if Panarin finds Kempe in transition. But Los Angeles' home struggles and difficulty converting defensive stops into possession make the Islanders a reasonable contender if their own goaltending holds steady. The Islanders' opportunity is not just to shoot more often; it is to make the Kings defend a second chance before they can skate out. Eklund can recover loose pucks around the wall while Schaefer makes the next play from the point. Los Angeles has enough skill to punish a bad pinch, so New York needs a high forward protecting against Panarin and Kempe in transition.

The Kings are favored, but their weak penalty kill and 2-6 home record make a short price difficult to endorse. New York is winless in four, yet it has earned points in both of its last two and could add important players to the lineup. An Islanders win through a narrow third-period edge fits the overall matchup without relying on an exaggerated scoring projection.

Best Bet: New York Islanders moneyline +105 (DraftKings; play at +100 or better). Prediction: New York Islanders 3, Los Angeles Kings 2. New York's power-play opportunities and Los Angeles' home struggles support a small underdog lean, although the Islanders' own winless stretch makes this far from a strong favorite-style pick. A tight third period is likely, so the full-game moneyline, including overtime and a shootout, fits the projected margin.