Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres Prediction, NHL Odds
Chicago is on the second half of a back-to-back, losing at home to Seattle 3-2 last night. The loss broke a two-game win streak for the 10-6-4 Blackhawks, who are still 5-1-1 in their last seven outings. Buffalo comes into Friday in last in the Atlantic Division at 7-9-4.
A large reason for the Blackhawks’ turnaround has been hitting on Connor Bedard in the draft. Bedard, the 2023 first-overall pick, is fourth in the NHL this season with 29 points. The Sabres, currently on a 14-year playoff drought, have a laundry list of shipping away first-round picks who have become anywhere from solid NHLers to superstars (Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart). It’s been a tale of two journeys, and now a tale of two seasons ahead of Friday night’s clash.
Puck drop at KeyBank Center goes at 7 p.m. EST with the Sabres -185 on home ice and the over-under at six on the NHL odds.
Blackhawks vs. Sabres NHL Betting Odds
Buffalo’s been good on home ice — a putrid road record is what’s holding them back. So the good news for potential Sabres backers is Buffalo is back at home Friday and their 6-4-2 record on the season is encouraging. The Sabres are also 5-1 straight up in their last six times hosting Chicago, and the Blackhawks have just one win in their last eight matchups with Buffalo overall. In their last three matchups, the Sabres are 3-0 and have outscored Chicago 13-4.
The winning team in the past six Sabres games has scored at least five goals. Chicago’s been able to do a better job at keeping pucks out of their own net this month too, allowing more than three goals in a game just once in nine outings in November. Chicago’s allowed the third-fewest goals per game this season at 2.55.
Chicago Blackhawks
The growing pains of this young Blackhawks team were on full display yesterday, as Chicago blew a 2-0 lead heading into the third period and came up with nothing in the 3-2 loss to Seattle. Friday’s going to be a show of real adversity for Chicago. Starting goalie Spencer Knight played yesterday, meaning Arvid Soderblom should get the crease at Buffalo. Soderblom’s .912 save percentage is respectable but it’s way below Knight’s .922 percentage in double the action. And factor in the long night and tired legs and Soderblom could have his plate full.
Chicago also lost forward Andrei Burakovsky last night to injury after taking a big hit. Burakovsky’s tied for third on the Blackhawks with 15 points, seven of which are goals. Losing a key forward is a tough, but likely blow for Chicago heading into Buffalo.
Buffalo Sabres
Friday’s the third of four straight at home for the Sabres, and has been the case for much of the past couple of years… no one knows which Sabres team will show up. On Monday, Buffalo dominated Edmonton in a 5-1 victory; but then the Sabres fell to a much-weaker Calgary team on Wednesday by a score of 6-2.
Rookie Colten Ellis has started three straight games for the Sabres, but it’s probably time to go back to Alex Lyon on Firday. Ellis is 3-2 in his five NHL games, all with Buffalo this season, but has just an .896 save percentage and is coming off a six-goal outing to Calgary on Wednesday. Lyon is is 3-5-3 but has a .907 save percentage.
Tage Thompson has scored in four straight contests and leads Buffalo with 10 goals and 18 points this season. The 28-year-old has scored at least 44 goals in two of his last three seasons and is just under that pace now 20 games into his 2025–26 campaign.
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