Posted at 8:00 AM ET. Odds are subject to change

Colorado / Los Angeles UNDER 5½ +110

Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA

10:30 PM ET. OT included. Season openers can often deceive, and this one has the fingerprints of a tight, low-scoring affair written all over it. The market has priced this total based on reputation — Colorado’s firepower and L.A.’s veteran depth — but openers are rarely played at full pace, and this particular matchup profiles much more like a chess match than a track meet.

Start with Los Angeles. The Kings know exactly what’s undone them year after year: an inability to manage leads and a penchant for turning steady games into chaos. Jim Hiller has spent the entire preseason harping on defensive structure, and Saturday’s meltdown against Anaheim only reinforces that message. The Kings won’t be opening the season in freewheeling fashion. Expect a heavy emphasis on control, puck management, and shorter shifts from an older group trying to avoid early mistakes.

Corey Perry, Anze Kopitar, and Kevin Fiala might still have the name recognition, but this version of the Kings lacks top-end scoring punch. They’ve added defensive veterans like Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci for a reason — to slow the game down, not speed it up. Combine that with uncertainty over Alex Laferriere’s status and you have a lineup short on finishers.

As for Colorado, they’re not exactly in midseason rhythm either. Gabriel Landeskog is just returning from a three-year layoff, Brent Burns is 40 and transitioning into a new system, and the Avalanche closed the preseason looking sluggish in the offensive zone. They’ve scored three or fewer goals in four of their last five tune-ups, and their blue line might be shorthanded again if Sean Behrens sits.

Then there’s the situational setup. Opening night in Los Angeles. New introductions, ceremonies, extended stoppages, emotion — all of it favors a slower tempo. Both sides will be feeling each other out, keeping shifts short, and emphasizing defensive discipline

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