Buffalo Sabres vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
The Buffalo Sabres will be looking to stop the NHL’s longest current losing streak, which currently sits at seven games, when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in Saturday night NHL action. The Sabres travel to Toronto after dropping a 4-1 decision in Ottawa on Wednesday, and have now seen six of their seven recent defeats come by multi-goal margins. The Maple Leafs will try to bounce back from Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the visiting New Jersey Devils that marks their third defeat in four home contests.
The Sabres have seen their odds shorten slightly to +230 since opening as +237 underdogs, but it is the Leafs who have garnered 68% of the betting action while fading slightly to -278 favourites. The total has held steady since opening at 6.5, with -117 odds favouring the OVER.
Sabres vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
The Sabres earned the win in three of four dates with the Leafs last season, including a pair of road wins in which they outscored Toronto by a wide 10-3 margin. Overall, the Leafs have scored two or fewer goals in five of their past seven clashes with the Sabres. But with Buffalo shooters potting 24 total goals over their past five head-to-head matchups, the OVER has gone 4-1-1 over their past six tilts and 13-4-1 over their past 18.
Buffalo Sabres
One of the surprises of the early season after opening their campaign on a steady 7-3-0 run, the Sabres have since given back all those gains with seven straight losses in regulation. Their current swoon features three away defeats, extending their current road losing streak to four games, in which they have been outscored by a massive 19-8 margin. The club has been plagued by slow starts, surrendering the early lead on five occasions during their 0-7-0 slide. Sabres shooters have potted just four even strength goals in the three defeats during their swoon, and while they have mustered at least one power play goal in nine of 11 outings, they have seen eight of the 33 total goals they have surrendered come while man short. Tage Thompson has not been slowed down by Buffalo’s struggles. The Sabres’ leading scorer currently rides a six-game point streak, during which he has scored five times and added three assists. Alex Tuch has also shaken off a recent slump with a goal and three helpers over the past two games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
While Thursday’s loss to the Devils marked the Maple Leafs’ third defeat in five overall outings, it also marked the 11th time in 14 games that this club has picked up at least a point. Indeed, there are positives to take away from the Leafs’ performance this week. At the top of the list is steady play of Matt Murray, who stopped 35 of 37 shots in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Pittsburgh, which marked his first appearance since getting injured during the first week of the season. Murray followed up by turning away 30 of 33 shots faced on Thursday, and will be aiming to improve his career record against Buffalo 6-1-1 when he takes the crease on Saturday. After drawing criticism during a slow start, Auston Matthews has found his groove. The reigning Hart Trophy winner has compiled multiple points in two straight games, and racked up six goals and six assists over his past nine outings, with five of those markers coming on the power play. With both Jake Muzzin and TJ Brodie now sidelined by injury, the Leafs’ blue line depth will once again be tested. The loss of Muzzin and Brodie complicates existing concerns about a rearguard corps that has produced just four of the team’s 52 goals this season. However, Morgan Reilly has continued to contribute, tallying six assists over the past five games.
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