The New York Islanders visit the Los Angeles Kings for a late-night meeting. The Islanders carry a four-game losing skid into Crypto.com Arena, while the Kings have won just twice at home this season.
Our Islanders vs. Kings prediction suggests a bit of regression to the mean for an unlucky Isles squad, with Matthew Schaefer firing on all cylinders.
Let's dive into our NHL picks for Thursday, Nov. 12.
Islanders vs Kings prediction: Islanders
The New York Islanders have dropped four consecutive games, but their underlying numbers suggest they've had some seriously bad puck luck.
They rank third in expected goals (24.08) at 5-on-5 over the last 10 games, over which their actual goals share (45.45%) is over four percentage points lower than their expected goals share (49.46%).
The Los Angeles Kings are just 2-6-0 at home this season and have scored the fewest goals (25) in the NHL at 5-on-5.
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TOP PICK
Islanders vs Kings player prop: Matthew Schaefer 3+ shots on goal
Matthew Schaefer leads all NHL defensemen in shots on goal (62), and has 10 more than the next-closest blueliner. He also leads all rearguards in shot attempts per 60 minutes (17.36).
His 27:02 TOI per game ranks fourth in the league, and he faces a Kings squad that ranks 18th in shots allowed per game (28.1).
COVERS INTEL: Schaefer leads all defensemen in shot attempts per game on the road (8.88), trailing only Jack Hughes among all skaters.
Islanders vs Kings goal scorer: Matthew Schaefer
It's no secret that Schaefer loves to fire pucks at opposing goaltenders.
The 19-year-old leads all defensemen in expected goals (4.5), low-danger expected goals (2.3), and has scored in four of his last eight games. He's shooting just 8.1% this season, compared to 10.3% as a rookie.
He also averages 3:48 of power-play time per game, and the Kings sport the 29th-ranked penalty kill (66%).
Islanders vs Kings combo
Schaefer leads all defensemen and ranks fifth among all skaters in shot attempts per game (7.82), and he's the only player to clear five attempts in every game this season.
The 2025-26 Calder Trophy recipient has recorded three or more shots on goal in nine of his last 14 games and in four of his last six on the road.
Simon Holmstrom has recorded two or more shots in six consecutive games and in nine of his last 10. Los Angeles ranks 27th in the NHL in unblocked shot attempts share (46.55%) at 5-on-5 over their last 10 games.
Islanders vs Kings combo
- Islanders Moneyline
- Matthew Schaefer 3+ shots on goal
- Simon Holmstrom 2+ shots on goal
- Top picks: 18-13, +7.26 units
- Combos: 4-16, +3.47 units
Islanders vs Kings odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Moneyline: Islanders 46% | Kings 55%
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (45%) | Under 6.5 (57%)
- Spread: Islanders +1.5 (70%) | Kings -1.5 (31%)
Check out our NHL odds board ahead of tonight's Islanders vs. Kings matchup!
Islanders vs Kings trend
The Kings have only hit the moneyline in eight of their last 25 games (-11.05 Units / -36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends.
How to watch Islanders vs Kings
| Location | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Date | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu, SN+, TVAS |
Islanders vs Kings latest injuries
Check out our NHL injuries page for updates on every team.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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