NHL Odds, Lines, and Best Bets for January 28th

• There’s NHL action on 14 fronts on Thursday, Jan. 28th, 2021
• Robert Duff won his last pick on the Bruins, bringing his NHL record to 3-1 (+1.33 units)
• All of odds, lines, and best bets for these games are right here

There are plenty of NHL bets to be assessed on Thursday. Twenty-eight of the NHL’s 31 teams will be on the ice in-game action, so bettors are certainly left with options to consider in terms of a wager or wagers.

The more also means the merrier, though. With so many games to choose from, finding emerging trends in the odds and betting lines makes it somewhat less challenging to locate best bets for the night.

NHL Odds January 28th

Odds taken Jan. 27th at DraftKings

Islanders Will Capitalize

The betting line on this game undoubtedly has as much to do with who’s missing from the Washington lineup as it does with the current hot streak that the Islanders are riding when facing the Capitals. The Islanders have taken four of the last five games played at Capital One Arena.

Washington will play without captain Alex Ovechkin, defenseman Dmitry Orlov, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, and goaltender Ilya Samsonov. All are in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol after an ill-advised gathering in one of their hotel rooms while on the road trip last week.

Whole squad pitched in for an impressive win.

Infographic from #CapsIsles, presented by @KETTLERliving.

Recap: https://t.co/8OM0GP8JPB pic.twitter.com/tNXNr4pMMm

— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 27, 2021

That’s the leading goal scorer (Ovechkin), #1 goalie, and three of the top nine scorers from last season’s team absent. To add to their woes centers Nicklas Backstrom and Lars Eller both left Washington’s last game with apparent head injuries.

Yet the shorthanded Caps overcome the Isles 3-2 on Tuesday to halt New York’s four-game winning streak in Washington.

#Caps have earned 5 out of a possible 6 points in 3 games without Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Samsonov and Orlov. They also remain unbeaten in regulation

— JJ Regan (@JJRegan41) January 27, 2021

Capitals netminder Vitek Vanecek has joined Jim Carey (1994-95) as the only Washington rookie goalies to collect points in their first five NHL appearances.

Adrenaline can do wonderful things in the short term. For long-range planning, go with the better team.

Pick: New York Islanders (-132) – 1.0 unit

Montreal’s Close Call Habits

The last time the Canadiens and Flames got together on Jan. 13th, 2020, Montreal were 2-0, winners. That was really something because it was the first time in six meetings between the two clubs that the final difference on the scoreboard wasn’t one goal. The Habs are -130 chalk at the Bell Center.

Two of those five one-goal contests were decided in overtime. Neither of these clubs are enjoying much success in one-goal games this season. Montreal is 0-2, while Calgary is 0-3.

Canadiens: 4-0-2, best start since going 5-0-1 in 2016-17…@CanadiensMTL: 4.8 goals per game, most in the NHL among teams who have played at least 4 games pic.twitter.com/IDpmXdu7T3

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) January 24, 2021

This is the start of a five-game road trip for the Flames. At 4-0-2, Montreal hasn’t suffered a regulation-time loss.. Calgary is one of four NHL teams yet to play its backup goalie. Jacob Markstrom has started all five games.

Thursday’s game is Montreal’s home opener.

Pick: Montreal Canadiens (-130) – 1.0 unit