Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, and the Buffalo Sabres are set to do battle against Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena in an Atlantic Division matchup. The game will get started at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 21, and you can watch it live on Fox Sports Sun.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Odds
Tampa Bay is 46-15 straight up (SU) and has earned 21.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. That win percentage, the league’s strongest so far in this young season, is an improvement compared to what the team did during last year’s regular season (54-28). Among its 61 games this season, 31 have gone over the total, while 27 have gone under and just three have pushed. The team’s 24-7 SU at home this year.
The Lightning come into the matchup with the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as they have scored on 30.3 percent of their extra-man chances this year. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked second overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 85.1 percent of all penalties.
Boasting a .930 save percentage and 30.4 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (26-11-4) has been the best goalkeeper for the Bolts this season. If the Bolts decide to rest him, however, the team may turn to Louis Domingue (19-4-4 record, .908 save percentage, 2.86 goals against average).
On the other side of the ice, Buffalo is 28-31 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 0.1 units this season. A total of 31 of its contests have gone over the total, while 26 have gone under the total and just two have pushed. As the away team so far, the Sabres are 11-18 SU.
The Sabres have converted on 18.2 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked seventh overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of all penalties.
Carter Hutton (27.1 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for Buffalo. Hutton has 15 wins, 20 losses, and three OT losses to his credit, and has registered a .909 save percentage and 2.84 goals against average this year.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Free Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Lightning, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Both teams are 4-1 in games decided by shootout.
- The total has gone under in three of Buffalo’s last five games.
- Over Buffalo’s last ten games, seven of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 2-5 in those games).
- The Lightning this season have tallied the eighth-most hits per game in the NHL (25.2).
