NHL Odds, Lines, and Picks for January 31st

• The NHL features an eight-game slate on Sunday, January 31st 2021
• The Blackhawks and Blue Jackets rematch after playing a low-scoring affair on Friday
• See odds for all eight games along with betting picks in the story below

There are eight NHL games scheduled for Sunday, January 31st 2021. Among the matchups is a rematch between Chicago and Columbus, who played a low-scoring affair Friday evening thanks to stellar goaltending.

There’s plenty of money to be made with Sunday’s slate, especially when it comes to a few over/under totals. We breakdown the full odds and provide our best bets below.

NHL Odds January 31st 

Odds taken Jan. 30th from DraftKings

CBJ vs Chicago Will Be Low-Scoring Affair

Columbus and Chicago rematch Sunday evening after the Blue Jackets beat the Blackhawks by a 2-1 score on Friday. There’s never an abundance of goal-scoring when these two teams clash, as the “under” has cashed or pushed in eight of the last nine meetings. There’s reason to think the trend will continue Sunday when you look at how well the two clubs are playing defensively.

The Blackhawks have allowed two goals or fewer in four of the past five games, while the Blue Jackets have allowed three total goals in their last two games. One of the big reasons the puck is staying out of the net is due to goaltending. Columbus goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is catching fire and ranks top-10 with a .936 save percentage, while the Blackhawks appear to have found their answer in goal with Kevin Lankinen (.930 SV%).

Both these teams had rest days on Saturday, so it’s expected Korpisalo and Lankinen will be back in the crease when these team’s rematch Sunday. The Blackhawks are currently without Adam Boqvist and Alex DeBrincat due to COVID-19, while new Blue Jackets’ sniper Patrik Laine is in quarantine and won’t be available. With the level the goalies are operating at, taking the “under” is the way to go.

Pick: Under 5.5 (-120)

Sens and Oilers Will Light Lamp 

Connor McDavid and the Oilers face Brady Tkachuk and the Senators for the first time this season on Sunday. Ottawa and Edmonton are both at the bottom of the North Division standings and are struggling to keep the puck out their net. The Sens rank dead-last in the league with a 4.50 GAA, while the Oilers are fifth-worst with a 3.67 GAA.

#Sens fall to the Canucks. pic.twitter.com/G2jMYlgf8l

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) January 26, 2021

The Oilers may be off to a slow start as a team, but it’s been more of the same for the team’s two superstars. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both top three in NHL scoring and should feast on the worst defense in the league. Ottawa netminders Matt Murray and Marcus Hogberg each have a save percentage below .870 and aren’t the type of goaltenders that can bail out a weak defensive structure.

In all but one of the last six meetings between these two clubs, there have been at least seven goals scored. And the one meeting that didn’t get to that number still featured six goals. This should be another high-event hockey game with plenty of scoring. Ottawa doesn’t have the same high-end talent as Edmonton, but they have the luxury of facing an Oilers team playing the second half of a back-to-back.

Pick: Over 6.5 (-122)