The Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators meet Thursday in NHL action from the Canadian Tire Centre. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Senators vs. Sabres Prediction.
Buffalo Sabres Recap
The Buffalo Sabres come into this game looking to add on to their 4-3 win over the Islanders last time out to sit at 46-21-8 this season. After this game, the Sabres will head on the road for a game against the Washington Capitals.
Sabres Win Back-To-Back Games
Tage Thompson leads the Sabres in scoring with 78 points coming on a team-high 38 goals and 40 assists while Alex Tuch has 60 points with 29 goals and 31 assists and Rasmus Dahlin has 67 points with a team-high 50 assists. Josh Doan has 47 points with 23 goals and 24 assists and Ryan McLeod has 50 points with 12 goals and 38 assists. Bowen Byram has 38 points with 11 goals and 27 assists, while Jack Quinn has added 49 points with 18 goals and 31 assists this season. Alex Lyon has gone 20-9-4 with a 2.69 GAA and a .910 save percentage in goal for Buffalo, while Colten Ellis is 7-4-1 with a 3.11 GAA and an .896 save percentage so far this season. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has gone 19-8-3 with a 2.58 GAA and a .910 save percentage up to this point in the year.
Why the Buffalo Sabres will win
- The underdogs have won each of the last seven games between the Sabres and Senators.
- The Senators have lost six of their last seven games as home favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Sabres have covered the puck line in each of their last 16 games as underdogs.
- The Senators have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last eight home games following a road loss.
Buffalo Sabres Player Prop Facts
- Alex Tuch has scored at least one goal in each of his last three appearances with the Sabres as underdogs.
- Bowen Byram has recorded an assist in each of the Sabres’ last four road games against Eastern Conference opponents.
Ottawa Senators Recap
The Ottawa Senators come into this game looking to bounce back from their 6-3 loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers last time out to sit at 38-26-10 this season. After this game, the Senators will take on the Minnesota Wild at home.
Senators Lose 3 In A Row
Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 76 points coming on a team-high 32 goals and 44 assists, while Drake Batherson has 64 points with 30 goals and 34 assists. Shane Pinto has 39 points with 19 goals and 20 assists, while Dylan Cozens has 52 points with 25 goals and 27 assists. Claude Giroux has 44 points with 12 goals and 32 assists; Brady Tkachuk has 51 points with 20 goals and 31 assists; and Jake Sanderson has 48 points with 11 goals and 37 assists. Linus Ullmark has gone 23-11-8 with a 2.85 GAA and an .886 save percentage in goal for Ottawa, while Leevi Merilainen has gone 8-10-1 with a 3.51 GAA and an .860 save percentage as well this season. James Reimer has also gone 6-4-1 with a 2.42 GAA and an .883 save percentage this season.
Why the Ottawa Senators will win
- The Sabres have lost eight of their last nine games at Canadian Tire Centre following a home win.
- The Senators have won four of their last five home games.
- The Sabres have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last five games.
Ottawa Senators Player Prop Facts
- Warren Foegele has scored a goal in three of the Senators’ last four home games.
- Jake Sanderson has recorded at least one assist in each of his last seven home appearances against Eastern Conference opponents.
Total Goals Facts
- Nine of the Senators’ last 10 games as favorites against opponents on a winning streak have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Eight of the Sabres’ last nine games against the Senators following a home win have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Each of the last three games between teams from the same division has gone OVER the total goals line.
Senators vs Sabres Prediction
I’m on the Sabres here. I just think that Buffalo is the hotter team right now and while desperation has to be taken into consideration at some point, I think that the Sabres are still playing too well to ignore at this price, especially when you consider the head-to-head dominance of the Sabres over the last couple of seasons. Give me the Sabres here.