The Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens meet in NHL action from the Bell Centre on Thursday night. Who comes out on top in this Atlantic division clash? Let’s dive in and find out with our Sabres vs. Canadiens Prediction.
Buffalo Sabres Team Preview
The Buffalo Sabres come into this one looking to rebound from their 5-1 loss at the hands of Ottawa. Casey Mittelstadt leads the Sabres in scoring with 31 points including a team-high 21 assists while Rasmus Dahlin has 29 points with 10 goals and 19 assists. Jeff Skinner has 27 points with a team-high 15 goals while JJ Peterka has 25 points with 12 goals and 13 assists. Alex Tuch also has 24 points with 9 goals and 15 assists this season. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has a 7-8-2 record with a 3.31 GAA and an .889 save percentage while Devon Levi is 7-6-2 with a 3.36 GAA and an .888 save percentage and Eric Comrie is 1-5 with a 4.01 GAA and an .863 save percentage this season in goal for the Sabres.
Buffalo Sabres Team Facts
- The home team has won four of the Sabres’ last five games.
- The Sabres have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last seven games as favorites following a road loss.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 2′ market has hit in each of the Sabres’ last nine games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Sabres have lost the second period in seven of their last eight games as favorites following a road loss.
Montreal Canadiens Team Preview
The Montreal Canadiens will be looking to build on a 4-3 win over Dallas that snapped a three-game losing skid. Nick Suzuki has a team-high 32 points with 11 goals and 21 assists while Cole Caufield has 26 points with 10 goals and 16 assists. Mike Matheson has 27 points with 21 assists of his own while Sean Monahan has 21 points with 9 goals and 12 assists. Jake Allen is 4-7-2 with a .903 save percentage and 3.40 GAA while Sam Montembault is 8-5-3 with a 2.94 GAA and a .903 save percentage in goal for Montreal this season. Cayden Primeau is also 4-4 with a 3.30 GAA and an .898 save percentage this season for the Habs.
Montreal Canadiens Team Facts
- The Canadiens have won four of their last five games as underdogs against the Sabres.
- The road team has covered the puck line in each of the last five games between the Sabres and Canadiens.
- The Canadiens have lost the third period in each of their last four games as underdogs.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3′ market has hit in each of the Canadiens’ last 13 games as underdogs against Atlantic Division opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Montreal Canadiens rank T30th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (72.80%).
- The Montreal Canadiens rank 27th in the league for goals per game this season (2.78).
- The Buffalo Sabres rank 29th in the league in power play percentage this season (12.84%).
- The Buffalo Sabres rank T25th in the league for goals against per game this season (3.45).
Sabres vs. Canadiens Prediction
I’m on Montreal here. Both of these teams aren’t necessarily playing top-end hockey as of late, but they’re both in similar form, and Buffalo struggles more on the road while the Habs are less effective at home. But we’re getting plus money with Montreal at home and the Habs have won 3 straight and 5 of 6 in this matchup. Give me Montreal and the plus money.
