The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres meet Monday in NHL action at the KeyBank Center. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The Montreal Canadiens are averaging 2.8 goals per game and are scoring on 17 percent of their power play opportunities. Cole Caufield leads Montreal with 26 goals, Nick Suzuki has 38 assists and Josh Anderson has 164 shots on goal. Defensively, the Montreal Canadiens are allowing 3.7 goals per game and are killing 72.7 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jake Allen has given up 142 goals on 1,302 shots faced, and Sam Montembeault has allowed 108 goals on 1,138 shots.
The Buffalo Sabres are averaging 3.6 goals per game and are scoring on 24.3 percent of their power play opportunities. Tage Thompson leads Buffalo with 44 goals, Rasmus Dahlin has 51 assists and Jeff Skinner has 202 shots on goal. Defensively, the Buffalo Sabres are allowing 3.7 goals per game and are killing 72.4 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has given up 112 goals on 1,012 shots faced, and Craig Anderson has given up 73 goals on 790 shots.
The Canadiens are 24-57 in their last 81 road games and 52-108 in their last 160 overall. The Sabres are 1-5 in their last 6 home games and 3-8 in their last 11 overall. The over is 8-3 in Canadiens last 11 overall. The over is 5-1-1 in Sabres last 7 overall. The Canadiens are 2-5 in the last 7 meetings in Buffalo. The favorite is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
I don’t want to back the Montreal Canadiens as much as the next guy, but laying juice with the Sabres doesn’t seem ideal either. Neither club has anything to play for at this stage and while the Sabres are at home and have been the better team overall, they’re not so hot at the moment. If I’m going to back either of these teams, I need plus money attached. Give me the Habs.