In their second head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils face off at the Prudential Center. This Eastern Conference matchup gets started at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 17, and it will be televised live on MSG Network.
Buffalo Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils Odds
Buffalo heads into the game as the slight favorite with a moneyline of -115. The line for New Jersey sits at -105, and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at an even 6 goals (-120 under, +100 over).
Buffalo is 28-29 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 2.4 units this year. 31 of its contests have gone over the total, while 25 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the road team in 2018-19, the Sabres are 11-16 SU.
Buffalo has converted on 18.3 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked ninth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.0 percent of all penalties.
Buffalo, as a collective unit, has been sent to the penalty box just 3.1 times per game this season, and 1.8 per game over its last five on the road. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 4.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .910 save percentage and 27.3 saves per game, Carter Hutton (15-19-3) has been the primary option in goal for Buffalo this year. If head coach Phil Housley decides to rest him, however, the team may go with Linus Ullmark (14-12-4), who has a .910 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average this year.
The visiting Sabres will be led by Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner. Eichel has 61 points on 18 goals and 43 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 21 different games. Skinner has 36 goals and 17 assists to his name (and has logged at least one point in 36 games).
On the other side of the rink, New Jersey is 22-36 straight up (SU) and has lost 12.8 units for moneyline bettors this year. 32 of its games have gone over the total, while 24 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 14-14 SU at home this season.
New Jersey has converted on 19.0 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 84.0 percent of all penalties.
New Jersey players have been penalized 3.9 times per game this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five home outings. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays 10.8 minutes per contest over their last five home games.
Keith Kinkaid has stopped 25.9 shots per game as the primary option in goal for New Jersey. Kinkaid has 16 wins, 24 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit and has registered a pedestrian 3.34 goals against average and a subpar .892 save percentage this season.
Kyle Palmieri (25 goals, 19 assists) will pace the attack for New Jersey.
Buffalo Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils Free Picks
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Sabres, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- New Jersey is 1-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Buffalo is 4-1 in shootouts.
- For both of these teams, the over has hit in four of their past five outings.
- Over New Jersey’s last ten outings, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 1-4 in those games).
- Buffalo skaters notched 21.5 hits per game last season, while the Devils posted 22.6 hits per contest.
