Kings vs Blues Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Kings Crowned at Enterprise Center

With two hot goalies taking the crease and some dominant trends pointing in one direction, our NHL betting picks break down the 6-goal total and point you to the correct side.

Tony Sartori - Contributor at Covers.com
Tony Sartori • Betting Analyst
Jan 28, 2024 • 09:21 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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David Rittich Los Angeles Kings NHL
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The St. Louis Blues host the Los Angeles Kings in a Western Conference tilt to kick off Sunday’s mini-two-game NHL slate. NHL odds have Los Angeles listed as a small road favorite while the total has bounced between 6 and 6.5.

The Under has been a profitable bet when these two teams have squared off over the past couple of seasons, with six or fewer total goals scored in seven of the past nine meetings.

Will we see another low-scoring affair, or will the script get flipped? Find out in my free NHL picks for Kings vs. Blues on Sunday, January 28.

Kings vs Blues odds

Kings vs Blues predictions

The St. Louis Blues are typically a good team to look at for Unders, given the combination of poor offensive play and good goaltending. Let’s start with the offense, which ranks 24th or lower in the league in goals scored per game, shots on goal per game, and power play percentage.

Its underlying metrics are even worse, ranking 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5-on-5. That brings us to the goaltending, which has been much better due to the efforts of Jordan Binnington, who's slated to guard the cage on Sunday.

Through 34 appearances in the crease, Binnington is 17-12-2 with a .907 SV% and 2.97 GAA. He enters this matchup in particularly good form, posting a 3-0 record with a commanding .933 SV% and 1.97 GAA over his past three starts.

This success is likely to continue against the Los Angeles Kings, a team Binnington boasts a .906 SV% and 2.82 GAA over his past 14 starts. There were six or fewer total goals scored in 10 of those 14 outings.

I'm confident that this trend will continue with goaltender David Rittich slated to start across the ice. While it is a limited sample size, Rittich has thrived this season with a 4-1-2 record, .927 SV% and 1.86 GAA through nine appearances between the pipes.

Making Rittich’s job easy is the fact that he plays behind one of the best two-way teams in hockey. This season, the Kings rank in the Top 7 of the league in goals allowed per game, shots on goal allowed per game, penalty kill percentage, and penalty minutes taken per game.

Los Angeles’ underlying metrics also suggest that regression is unlikely as it ranks seventh in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5.

 However, things get a bit shakier when it comes to the Kings’ offense as they hover around the league average in goals scored per game and power play percentage.

My best bet: Under 6 (+105 at BetMGM)

Kings vs Blues same-game parlay

Under 6

Kings moneyline

While I like the Under in this matchup, this SGP is a way to involve betting Los Angeles at plus-money odds. There are a ton of reasons to love the Kings in this spot, as they're better pretty much all over the ice.

Offensively, they pace St. Louis in goals scored per game, shots on goal per game, and power play percentage. They also rank higher in xGF/60 at 5-on-5.

The same rings true defensively, ranking higher in goals allowed per game, shots on goal allowed per game, and penalty kill percentage. Additionally, Los Angeles also ranks higher in xGA/60 at 5-on-5.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Kings vs Blues moneyline and Over/Under analysis

The Kings opened as a -142 favorite and remain at that number at the time of writing. I think the market is going to inflate this line, mainly for all the aforementioned variables above.

That brings us to the total, which opened at 6 and also remains as such. There are books where 6.5 is available, however, I would rather play Under 6 at plus money than lay a larger price on Under 6.5.

With that said, for our more risk-averse bettors, I believe there's still value in Under 6.5 if you wish to go that route.

Kings vs Blues betting trend to know

There have been six or fewer goals scored in seven of the past nine meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Blues.

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Kings vs Blues game info

Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
Date: Sunday, January 28, 2024
Puck drop: 2:00 p.m. ET
TV: Bally Sports West, Bally Sports Mountain West

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Tony Sartori - Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Tony Sartori has written over 1,000 pieces of sports betting content across multiple different media outlets. He covers the NHL, UFC, PGA, NFL and MLB. Tony started part-time while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he went on to receive a B.A. in Economics and a certificate in Entrepreneurship in 2022. He continues to work full-time in the sports betting landscape.

Due to the variety of sports he covers, Tony is handicapping every day. If he had one piece of betting advice for a new sports bettor, it would be to strictly enforce bankroll management rules for yourself. If you set aside $10,000 for your betting bankroll, then you should generally only be betting between $100 - $500 per play.

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