The Kings scored enough to stay competitive in their opener, but conceding eight goals left them with a much bigger problem to solve. Their 8-4 loss to Colorado contrasts with San Jose’s 4-3 opening win over Florida. With the Sharks only slight moneyline favorites, Los Angeles has a case for a rebound—but it starts with making life easier for its goalie, not simply generating more offense.
A defensive reset for Los Angeles
Our grades offer a counterweight to that rough opener. Los Angeles carries a B+ defensive grade compared with San Jose’s D, while the Sharks have a small attacking edge, C to C-. That defensive assessment is the Kings’ strongest matchup advantage on paper. After allowing eight goals, putting it into practice is the immediate test.
Anton Forsberg starts in goal for Los Angeles, opposite Yaroslav Askarov for San Jose. Our shot projections give the Kings 29 shots and the Sharks about 26. That gives Los Angeles a promising pressure outlook against a lower-graded defensive unit, though the quality of those chances and Forsberg’s work at the other end will matter just as much.
San Jose’s threats—and a blue-line concern
Macklin Celebrini centers San Jose’s first line, with Mason Marchment on the left wing. That pairing gives the Kings a specific assignment: contain the Sharks’ top attacking group while creating enough pressure of their own to test Askarov. San Jose’s slightly stronger attacking grade is a useful counterweight to the Kings’ defensive advantage.
Jacob Trouba’s illness status also matters here. He’s day-to-day and a game-time decision against the Kings, per Max Miller of NHL.com. Trouba occupies a spot on San Jose’s second defensive pair, so his availability is relevant to a blue line that already has the weaker of our two defensive grades.
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Why the moneyline gap is small
The DraftKings moneyline has San Jose at -115 and Los Angeles at -105. That narrow gap fits the competing evidence: the Sharks bring a winning start and a slightly stronger attacking grade, while the Kings have the better defensive assessment and a projected edge in shots.
Los Angeles has the stronger case for controlling the shot volume, but its opener showed how quickly that advantage can become irrelevant when too many chances turn into goals. San Jose’s attacking edge keeps the matchup balanced. The key is whether the Kings can turn their defensive grade into a steadier performance in front of Forsberg; doing that would give their projected pressure a much better chance to matter.
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