Our Kings vs. Rangers prediction starts in the crease, where both clubs arrive with goaltending questions. The New York Rangers sit at -140 on the moneyline at Madison Square Garden. The Los Angeles Kings come in at +120, with the total at 6.0. Both teams also arrive cold. We break down the goaltending, the special teams gap and where the price leaves room, then land on two picks.
Last Updated: October 26, 2026
Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers — Game Info
| Where | Madison Square Garden, New York NY |
| When | October 26 – 7:00 PM ET |
| TV | MSG, NHL Network |
Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers Betting Preview
Neither starter is confirmed yet, so this read is provisional. Dylan Garand is the projected Rangers starter. He has handled the net since Igor Shesterkin was lost for the season with a knee injury on Oct. 9. Garand opened his run brilliantly, including a 22-save shutout of Detroit in his first NHL start of the season. Lately, however, the 24-year-old has cooled. Daily Faceoff lists him at 4-4-1 with a 2.65 GAA and a .900 save percentage. Field Level Media reports he has allowed 17 goals over his past five games.
For Los Angeles, Darcy Kuemper is the projected starter after Anton Forsberg played Saturday in New Jersey. Kuemper made 41 saves in Thursday’s overtime win over the Islanders. Still, his season line is rough: 2-3-1 with an .889 save percentage, per Daily Faceoff. If either club turns to its backup, the read below shifts, so check confirmations closer to puck drop.
The Rangers are 7-5-1 and have dropped two straight, losing 5-4 in Toronto and 7-4 in Ottawa. They have lost four of their last five, all but one away from home. At the Garden, though, they are 6-0-0. Alexis Lafreniere leads the team with nine goals, and Adam Fox drives the power play. New York’s penalty kill is operating at 92.3%, among the best in the league.
The Kings are 2-5-2 and have scored just 21 goals in nine games, or 2.33 per game. Artemi Panarin leads them with six goals in his second trip back to New York since joining Los Angeles. Quinton Byfield (upper body) wore a non-contact jersey at Sunday’s practice and is uncertain. Kings coach Peter Laviolette also returns to the building where he coached the Rangers for two seasons. Los Angeles won the last meeting, 4-1 at the Garden on March 16.
The schedule matters here too. Both teams played Saturday and had Sunday off, so neither is on the back end of a back-to-back. However, the Kings head to Chicago on Tuesday, which puts them on the front end of one. That can shape which goalie Los Angeles uses Monday. The Rangers, by contrast, do not play again until November 1. They can empty the tank without worrying about the next night.
Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings | +1.5 (-225) | +120 | O 6.0 (+100) |
| Rangers | -1.5 (+185) | -140 | U 6.0 (-120) |
Odds accurate as of October 26, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Kings | 52% | 48% | Rangers |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Kings vs. Rangers Prediction — Is a Perfect 6-0 Garden Start Built to Last?
The case for New York starts with the matchup on special teams. The Kings’ power play converts just 14.8% of the time, while the Rangers kill 92.3% of their penalties. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has already conceded 10 power-play goals, and New York’s power play sits at 18.9%. That gap gives the home side an edge in the minutes that decide a large share of hockey goals.
Goaltending tilts the same way, even with Garand slumping. Kuemper’s .889 save percentage trails Garand’s .900, and the Kings have leaned on their goalies heavily. Joel Edmundson said as much after Saturday’s loss. The Rangers average 3.15 goals per game against the Kings’ 2.33. On top of that, Los Angeles plays in Chicago on Tuesday, while New York gets five days off after this game. The price asks for a 58.3% win rate. Our read sits a little above that.
The case against is real. The Rangers have allowed 22 goals in their last five games, and the Kings have won five straight in this series. The market offers no help either. All three full-game lines sit exactly where they opened, and the spread splits are close to even. That makes this a thin edge without market confirmation. Note that this is the full-game moneyline, so overtime and the shootout count.
Why not the puck line at +185? That price needs a Rangers win by two or more, a 35.1% break-even. Empty-net goals do help favorites get there. Still, three of the Kings’ nine games have gone past regulation, and a one-goal Rangers win is the more likely shape. The moneyline expresses the read with less added risk.
The Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-140)
Kings vs. Rangers Prediction — What Do 13 Shots in New Jersey Say About LA’s Attack?
The Kings have been held to one goal in five of their nine games. In Saturday’s 3-1 loss in New Jersey, they managed only 13 shots, and Laviolette said his team was too much on the perimeter. Add a strong Rangers penalty kill and a weak Kings power play, and the path to a second Los Angeles goal narrows. This game prop needs only one team to finish with fewer than two goals. At +140, the price implies a 41.7% chance, and the Kings’ scoring profile alone puts that in play. This rests on the same Kings offensive weakness as the first pick, so the two are not independent.
The risk is Garand’s recent form. Five straight soft nights from a young goalie can turn a quiet Kings attack into a two-goal team. Panarin also scored twice against the Islanders last week. Even so, +140 is a fair price against an attack this quiet. This is a full-game market, so overtime counts toward both teams’ totals.
The Pick: Both Teams To Score 2+ Goals — No (+140)
Our Final Word on Kings vs. Rangers
This is a matchup of two struggling teams, but the Rangers carry the cleaner profile at home. Their unbeaten Garden record, the special teams gap and a rest edge all point the same way. The goaltending, though, keeps both reads provisional until starters are confirmed. We also passed on the total of 6.0. Two goalies in poor form push toward the over, while a quiet Kings attack and a sharp Rangers penalty kill pull the other way. Those forces roughly cancel at this number. For more on each side, see our recent Kings vs. Devils prediction and Rangers vs. Maple Leafs prediction.
The Rangers moneyline at -140 is our top play, backed mainly by a 92.3% penalty kill facing a 14.8% Kings power play. Both Teams To Score 2+ Goals — No at +140 is the second play. It rests on a Kings attack held to one goal in five of nine games.
NHL Kings vs. Rangers FAQ: October 26, 2026
What time does the Kings vs. Rangers game start?
The Kings and Rangers face off at 7:00 PM ET on Monday, October 26, 2026. That is 4:00 PM Pacific for fans following along in Los Angeles. It is the only meeting between the two clubs on the schedule this week, and the Rangers do not play again until November 1.
What channel is the Kings vs. Rangers game on?
The game airs on MSG in the New York market and nationally on NHL Network. NHL Network carries the game for viewers outside the Rangers’ home market. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Where are the Kings and Rangers playing?
The game is at Madison Square Garden in New York City, home of the Rangers. New York is 6-0-0 there this season. The Kings arrive on a road swing that has included Washington, the Islanders and New Jersey, and they play in Chicago on Tuesday.
What are the Kings’ and Rangers’ records this season?
The Rangers are 7-5-1 entering Monday, while the Kings are 2-5-2. New York has lost two straight but remains unbeaten at home. Los Angeles won two in a row on this trip, at Washington and on Long Island, before losing 3-1 in New Jersey on Saturday.
Who won the last meeting between the Kings and Rangers?
The Kings won the last meeting 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on March 16, 2026. That was Artemi Panarin’s first game back in New York after his trade to Los Angeles, and he assisted on a first-period Drew Doughty goal. Monday is the first meeting between the teams this season.