Canadiens vs Sabres Prediction 1/31/26 NHL Picks Today

In this article, we will formulate a Canadiens vs Sabres Prediction for this NHL game on Saturday, January 31^st. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this NHL matchup.

Buffalo Sabres Preview

The Sabres have 67 points this season with a 31-17-5 record, and are 31-22 ATS and 25-25 in over/under. They have a 17-6-3 home record and a 14-11-2 road record and are sitting 3rd in the Atlantic Division. They are coming off a 4-1 home win over the Kings, and their previous three games were a 7-4 road win over the Maple Leafs, a 5-0 road win over the Islanders, and a 4-2 road win over the Canadiens.

Offensively, the Sabres are averaging 3.40 goals per game and are scoring 19.5% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 3.02 goals per game and are killing 83.1% of their opponent’s power plays.

Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 55 points and 28 goals, while Rasmus Dahlin leads the team in assists with 32. Alex Lyon is the starting goalie for the Sabres, and he has a 13-6-3 record, with 2.62 GAA and .914 SV%. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the backup goalie and he has a 11-7-2 record, with 2.73 GAA and .903 SV%.

Montreal Canadiens Preview

The Canadiens have 67 points this season with a 30-17-7 record, and are 31-23 ATS and 33-20 in over/under. They have a 16-11-1 home record and a 14-6-6 road record and are sitting 4th in the Atlantic Division. They are coming off a 7-3 home win over the Avalanche, and their previous three games were a 3-2 home overtime win over the Golden Knights, a 4-3 road loss to the Bruins, and a 4-2 home loss to the Sabres.

Offensively, the Canadiens are averaging 3.43 goals per game and are scoring 23.6% of their power play opportunities. Defensively, they are allowing 3.26 goals per game and are killing 77.1% of their opponent’s power plays.

Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 62 points and 44 assists, while Cole Caufield leads the team in goals with 30. Jakub Dobes is the starting goalie for the Canadiens, and he has a 17-5-3 record, with 2.96 GAA and .890 SV%. Samuel Montembeault is the backup goalie and he has a 9-8-2 record, with 3.46 GAA and .869 SV%.

Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres Betting Trends: January 31, 2026

Why the Buffalo Sabres will win

• The Sabres have won 19 of their last 20 night games.
• The Canadiens have lost five of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Sabres have covered the puck line in 14 of their last 15 night games.
• The Sabres have won the second period in seven of their last eight games as favorites.

Why the Montreal Canadiens will win

• The underdogs have won each of the Canadiens’ last nine games at KeyBank Center.
• The Sabres have lost three of their last four games as home favorites following a home win.
• The Canadiens have covered the puck line in each of their last 15 games as underdogs.
• The Sabres have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last four games as home favorites following a home win.
• The underdogs have won the third period in eight of the Canadiens’ last nine games at KeyBank Center.

Total Goals Facts

• Seven of the Canadiens’ last eight road games against opponents on a winning streak have gone OVER the total goals line.
• Each of the Sabres’ last five games against opponents on a winning streak have gone UNDER the total goals line.
• Eleven of the last 14 games between teams from the same division have gone OVER the total goals line.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Sabres’ last seven night games.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3′ market has hit in 20 of the Canadiens’ last 21 games against opponents on a winning streak.

Buffalo Sabres Player Prop Facts

• Alex Tuch has scored a goal in six of the Sabres’ last seven games as favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
• Ryan McLeod has recorded at least one assist in each of the Sabres’ last seven games as favorites.

Montreal Canadiens Player Prop Facts

• Cole Caufield has scored at least one goal in each of the Canadiens’ last four games against Atlantic Division opponents.
• Nick Suzuki has recorded at least one assist in each of the Canadiens’ last seven games against the Sabres.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Buffalo Sabres rank 6th in the league for goals per game this season (3.40).
• The Buffalo Sabres rank 7th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (83.10%).
• The Montreal Canadiens rank 4th in the league for goals per game this season (3.43).
• The Montreal Canadiens rank 27th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (77.14%).

Canadiens vs Sabres Prediction

The Sabres are 2-1 in their three meetings against the Canadiens this season, having won their previous meeting in Buffalo by 5-3, but the Canadiens are 5-3 in their last 8 meetings.

In this Canadiens vs Sabres Prediction, the Sabres are coming as -130 home favorites. Both teams have been excellent this season but the Sabres have been red-hot lately with five consecutive wins, while the Canadiens have won two straight. The Sabres have a better defense, penalty kill and goaltending and it’s hard to fade them at home, as their offense has been red-hot, having scored 4+ goals in eight of their last nine overall games. Take the Sabres on the moneyline at home.