The Buffalo Sabres, spearheaded by Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson, are ready to take the ice against Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in an Atlantic Division showdown. New England Sports Network will air the game, and the puck drops at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 29.
Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins Odds
The Bruins (-230) are being labeled as the favorites over the Sabres (+190), and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-115 over, -105 under).
Boston is 23-16 straight up (SU) and has recorded 2.4 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through 39 regular season matches, 18 of the team’s games have gone over the total, while an additional 18 have gone under and just three have pushed. This year, the team is 13-9 SU at home.
The Bruins have been able to convert on 26.4 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s good enough for fourth-best in the league. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 84.5 percent of all penalties.
With a .923 save percentage and 28.0 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (14-9-5) has been the principal option in goal for Boston this season. If head coach Bruce Cassidy chooses to give him the night off, however, Boston might roll with Jaroslav Halak (9-7-7 record, .928 save percentage, 2.22 goals against average).
Over on the visiting bench, Buffalo is 17-22 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.9 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through 39 regular season outings, 20 of its games have gone over the total, while 19 have gone under the total and none have pushed. The Sabres are 6-15 SU as an away team this season.
The Sabres have converted on 18.6 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 28th overall and it’s successfully killed off 75.0 percent of all penalties.
Linus Ullmark (.914 save percentage and 2.79 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Buffalo. Ullmark is averaging 29.6 saves per game and owns an 11-12-3 record.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- The Bruins (0-5 in shootouts this season) has more experience in games decided by shootout. The Sabres has only participated in two shootouts this year, winning one and losing the other.
- For both of these clubs, the game went over the total in three of their last five outings.
- Over Buffalo’s last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 1-4 in those games).
- The Bruins this season have tallied the ninth-most hits per game in the NHL (23.9).
