Vancouver Canucks vs. Buffalo Sabres Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canucks opened their current seven-game road trip with a 2-1 loss in St. Louis, but have followed up with four straight wins to remain just one point back of the league-leading Winnipeg Jets. The Sabres topped the visiting Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Thursday night, but have failed to record consecutive victories while compiling a middling 9-10-1 home record this season.
The red-hot Canucks lead the way as -150 road favourites on the Saturday NHL odds, and are pegged as a +150 bet on the NHL puck line. The Sabres lag as +125 home underdogs, while -130 odds favour the total going UNDER 7.0.
Canucks vs. Sabres NHL Betting Odds
After struggling to produce consistent results over the holidays, the Canucks have rediscovered their scoring mojo during their current 4-0-0 tear, potting 5.25 goals per game, lifting them to the top of the NHL team stats with an impressive 3.90 goals scored per game this season. Not surprisingly, OVER bettors have regularly cashed in during a steady 9-2 run. Vancouver has also been a solid bet on the puck line, with nine of their victories during their current 12-2-2 run coming by multi-goal margins.
It is an understatement to suggest that the Sabres have underachieved on home ice this season. The club has alternated between wins and losses over their past seven home dates, and have been regularly outclassed in front of hometown fans, with seven of their 10 defeats coming by more than a single goal while allowing at least four goals on eight occasions. The Sabres have enjoyed success in recent dates with Vancouver, averaging 4.25 goals while winning three of their past four, but have lost four of six to the Canucks on home ice while surrendering 4.00 goals per game.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks squandered an early 3-1 lead and needed overtime to get past the pesky Penguins on Thursday night. The club was outshot by 15-8 margin after 40 minutes in Thursday’s narrow win, raising concerns that the grind of the team’s longest road trip of the season, and their current run of 11 away dates in 14 games, could be having an impact. Brock Boeser has shown no signs of fatigue during the current junket. Boeser opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first seven minutes of Thursday’s win, and has now racked up seven points in three multi-point performances over the past four games. Elias Pettersson has also maintained a torrid pace while potting seven goals and 12 points over the past four games, and should be backed as a +165 bet on the NHL player props to pick up multiple points on Saturday afternoon.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have enjoyed an offensive outburst of their own, outscoring opponents by a 16-10 margin during their current 3-1-0 run, but could be hitting the ice on Saturday afternoon without two of their biggest producers. Veteran playmaker Jeff Skinner was enjoying a productive five-game stretch during which he racked up eight points, but is sidelined indefinitely by a lower body injury suffered in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Seattle. Tage Thompson’s status is also uncertain after the towering centre suffered an undisclosed injury against the Sens. Thompson was also enjoying a steady run before getting hurt, picking up 12 points in his past nine outings including a two goals in Thursday’s win over Ottawa.
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