It is an Atlantic Division battle as the Buffalo Sabres visit the Ottawa Senators. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Sabres-Senators prediction and pick.
The Sabres come into the game at 15-21-5 on the year, which places them in last place in the Atlantic Divison. This rough season as the Sabres exploring selling at the trade deadline. In their last game, they hosted the Washington Capitals. Alex Tuch opened the scoring in the first period, but Tom Wilson would tie the game in the period. Tuch would score again in the second, but again Wilson would tie the game. Finally, Tage Thompson scored to give the Sabres the lead heading into the third. The Capitals would tie the game in the third, and the game would go to a shootout, where the Sabres won the game 4-3.
Meanwhile, the Senators are 19-17-3 on the year, placing them in fifth in the Atlantic Division. They have struggled as of late, losing five of their last six games. In their last game, they faced the Detroit Red Wings. Dylan Larkin opened the scoring with a goal in the first period, but the Senators would score twice in the second to take the lead. Still, the Red Wings tied the game in the third, and then Patrick Kane scored in overtime to give the Red Wings the 3-2 win.
Here are the Sabres-Senators NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Sabres-Senators Odds
Buffalo Sabres: +1.5 (-184)
Moneyline: +138
Ottawa Senators: -1.5 (+148)
Moneyline: -166
Over: 5.5 (-140)
Under: 5.5 (+114)
How To Watch Sabres vs Senators
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
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Why the Sabres Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Sabres’s top point-scoring option this year has been Tage Thompson, who leads the top line for the Sabres. Thompson leads the team in goals and points this year. He has scored 18 goals and added 15 assists for his 34 points. Further, he has four goals and six assists on the power play. Jason Zucker joins Thompson on the top line, and he is second on the team in points. Zucker has 15 goals and 16 assists. He also has eight goals and six assists on the power play. Dylan Cozens rounds out the line, and he has eight goals with 12 assists.
Meanwhile, JJ Peterka comes in on the second line. He has 11 goals and 19 assists, good for third on the team in points. The Sabres also get solid production from the blue line. Rasmus Dahlin leads the team in assists, having six goals and 23 assists this year. Meanwhile, Owen Power has five goals and 17 assists, while Bowen Byram also has five goals and 17 assists.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to be in goal for the Sabres. He is 12-12-4 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage. Lukkonen has been solid as of late, going 3-1-1 with two games over .900 in save percentage.
With Linus Ullmark out for the Senators, the Sabres are expected to be shooting on Anton Forsberg. Forsberg is 4-7-1 on the year with a 3.03 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage. He is just 1-3-1 in his last five starts, giving up three or more goals in all of them, and having a save percentage below .890 in four of the five games.
Why the Senators Could Cover the Spread/Win
Tim Stutzle leads the second line for the seantors, and the team in points and assists this year. He has 12 goals and 29 assists on the year while having two goals and 14 assists on the power play. He is joined on the line by Drake Batherson and Claude Giroux. Batherson is third on the team in points this year, having 13 goals and 23 assists, good for 36 points. He also has seven goals and 11 assists on the power play. Giroux comes in fourth on the team in points with nine goals and 15 assists on the year.
Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk leads the team in goals and is on the top line. He comes into the game with 18 goals and 20 assists, sitting second on the team in points. He also has nine goals and six assists on the power play. He is joined by Ridly Greig on that line, who has six goals and six assists.
Final Sabres-Senators Prediction & Pick
The Sabres have scored well this year, scoring 3.02 goals per game. Further, they have scored 29 goals in their last seven games. Still, the defense has been an issue, sitting 27th in the NHL in goals against per game, and giving up 21 goals in the last seven games. Meanwhile, the Senators are 12th in the NHL in goals against per game, while also scoring 2.92 goals per game. While the Senators are favored in terms of odds in this NHL game, their recent struggles on defense give cause for concern. The best play is on the total, so take the over.
Final Sabres-Senators Prediction & Pick: Over 5.5 (-140)
The post Sabres vs. Senators prediction, odds, pick – 1/9/2025 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
