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It's challenging to find two teams going in more opposite directions than the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. The Maple Leafs are 7-3 over their last ten games, while the Sabres have lost 11 consecutive games. Toronto has won three consecutive games against Buffalo, including their first matchup this past Monday when they won 5-3 at Scotiabank Arena. The teams have five wins each over their past ten matchups. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Maple Leafs-Sabres prediction and pick.
Here are the Maple Leafs-Sabres NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Maple Leafs-Sabres Odds
Toronto Maple Leafs: -1.5 (+163)
Moneyline: -151
Buffalo Sabres: +1.5 (-186)
Moneyline: +136
Over: 6 (-110)
Under: 6 (-110)
How To Watch Maple Leafs vs. Sabres
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet, HULU
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Maple Leafs Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Maple Leafs have been on a hot streak recently, catapulting them to be first in the Atlantic Division. They are 20-10-2 on the season and 7-3 over their last ten games. The question for the Leafs was their lack of games against challenging opponents, and pundits looked forward to seeing whether they could handle the pressure of playing against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. Toronto answered the questions, defeating Dallas 5-3. It was their second-straight 5-3 victory, as they defeated the Sabres by the same score on Monday night.
The Maple Leafs are favorites by a slimmer margin than Monday's matchup because they are on the road. However, this will be far from a road game for Toronto. Maple Leafs fans travel in droves down the QE2, and they'll overrun the KeyBank Center in this game with both teams' recent forms.
Why the Sabres Could Cover the Spread/Win
It would be a tale as old as time for the Maple Leafs. In a situation with no reason to believe they can lose, Toronto would play a stinker, sending the fanbase into a tailspin and eliciting responses like “This is why they can't win in the playoffs.” The Sabres have always had no problems defeating the Maple Leafs, including a three-game winning streak through the end of 2022-23 and the beginning of last season. Toronto is currently on a three-game winning streak, but it'd be no surprise if the Maple Leafs are the team the Sabres beat to end their losing skid.
One X-Factor could help the Sabres' chances in this game. Matt Murray will start in net for the first time in nearly two years after Anthony Stolarz suffered a knee injury. It looks like the Leafs will roll with a tandem of Joseph Woll and Murray for the foreseeable future.
Final Maple Leafs-Sabres Prediction & Pick
The old Toronto Maple Leafs may enter this game and lose devastatingly, but these aren't those same Leafs. New head coach Craig Berube has the team playing with a newfound style, which includes the ability to hold on to leads and play sound defensive hockey. The Sabres are playing some of their worst hockey of this era, and their recent 6-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens seemed like it would start the process of rearranging some of their roster pieces. However, nothing changed for Buffalo, and they're trying to run it back with the same roster. Trusting the Maple Leafs is challenging, but we'll believe in Berube's new system.
Final Maple Leafs-Sabres Prediction & Pick: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+163)
