Buffalo Sabres (8-11-3) vs. Florida Panthers (15-4-3)
December 2, 2021 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Florida Panthers -277 / Buffalo Sabres +229; Over/Under: 6
(Get latest betting odds)
The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers meet Thursday in NHL action at the FLA Live Arena. The Buffalo Sabres need a win after losing six of their last seven games. The Florida Panthers look for a win after winning five of their last seven games.
The Buffalo Sabres are averaging 2.8 goals per game and are scoring on 20.8 percent of their power play opportunities. Tage Thompson leads Buffalo with 10 goals, Rasmus Dahlin has 11 assists and Jeff Skinner has 64 shots on goal. Defensively, the Buffalo Sabres are allowing 3.3 goals per game and are killing 78.9 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Dustin Tokarski has given up 42 goals on 433 shots faced, and Craig Anderson has given up 15 goals on 190 shots.
The Florida Panthers are averaging 3.7 goals per game and are scoring on 18 percent of their power play opportunities. Aleksander Barkov leads Florida with 9 goals, Jonathan Huberdeau has 16 assists and Aaron Ekblad has 69 shots on goal. Defensively, the Florida Panthers are allowing 2.6 goals per game and are killing 80.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Sergei Bobrovsky has given up 29 goals on 415 shots faced, and Spencer Knight has allowed 27 goals on 273 shots.
The Sabres are 23-76 in their last 99 road games and 20-58 in their last 78 games as an underdog. The Panthers are 35-16 in their last 51 home games and 11-3 in their last 14 games following a win. The over is 7-1-1 in Sabres last 9 Thursday games. The under is 7-0 in Panthers last 7 vs. Atlantic. The Sabres are 1-6 in the last 7 meetings in Florida and 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
The Buffalo Sabres continue to watch their season fall apart with losses in six of their last seven, and the defense is taking more and more steps back. The Florida Panthers have been a buzz saw at home all season long, they’re dominant in the favorite role, and their monster comeback against the Capitals just gives them even more confidence. Backing the Sabres here isn’t an option. Give me the Panthers and the PL for max betting value.
