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The Sabres and the Sharks meet in San Jose! The Sharks have had a rough start to the year, while the Sabres have been solid at best. We continue our NHL odds series with a Sabres-Sharks prediction and pick.
The Buffalo Sabres struggled last season, but they look better already this year. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch have started the season red-hot, and this team goes as they go. The Sabres are a team's wildcard and can make some noise this year. They need to take care of business in this game against the Sharks.
The San Jose Sharks were the worst team in the NHL last season, only winning 19 games. Mikael Granlund was the best player on the team last season. Granlund has been solid this season, but Tyler Toffoli and rookie Macklin Celebrini are also key in turning the Sharks around. This is a big matchup against the Sabres at home, and they can make a statement.
Here are the Sabres-Sharks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Sabres-Sharks Odds
Buffalo Sabres: -1.5 (+154)
Moneyline: -152
San Jose Sharks: +1.5 (-192)
Moneyline: +126
Over: 6.5 (+110)
Under: 6.5 (-134)
How To Watch Sabres vs Sharks
Time: ET/PT
TV: ESPN+/MSG Buffalo/NBC Sports California
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Article Continues Below
Why the Sabres Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Sabres and their offense are one of the best in the league, scoring 3.21 goals per game and an 11.8% shooting percentage. The two best players on this offense are Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, and both are tied for the team lead in points at 18. Thompson also leads the Sabres in goals at 11 and Tuch in assists at 13. This duo has the ability to carve up a bad San Jose defense. They will be the biggest keys on this offense and how they can score on the road.
The Sabres' defense has struggled this season. They are allowing 3.21 goals per game, and they have an 89.6% save percentage. This season, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi are their two main starters. Luukkonen has seven wins and four losses in 13 games and allows 2.61 goals per game with a 90.9% save percentage. Then, Levi has two wins and five losses in seven games. He also allows 3.95 goals per game with an 87% save percentage. This defense needs to do more in this game because the Sharks have some talent, even with the team's overall struggles on offense.
Why the Sharks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Sharks had the worst defense in the NHL last season but have only slightly improved. They are allowing 3.41 goals per game with a 90.5% save percentage. The defense relies on their goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood. He struggled last year and has not been all that better this year. He has four wins and six losses through 13 games. Then he also allows 3.07 goals per game with a 91% save percentage.
They are using only another main goalie, Vitek Vanecek, and he has struggled just as much as Blackwood. He has two wins and five losses through 10 games. Then he also allows 3.36 goals per game with an 89.9% save percentage. They have improved but need to play better because they still allow 3.50 goals per game. They need more from this defense against the Sabres due to how well the duo of Thompson and Tuch has been playing.
The Sharks' offense was one of the worst in the NHL last year, only slightly better than the Blackhawks'. They have improved so far this season but are still struggling. They are scoring 2.45 goals per game and have a 9% shooting percentage. Mikael Granlund has been massive for the team this year after carrying the team last year, too. He leads in goals at nine, assists at 15, and points at 24. Rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini is also available and has been steadily improving since he came back from his injury.
Final Sabres-Sharks Prediction & Pick
The Sabres are the better team in this game, but the Sharks should keep it close. Granlund, Celebrini, and Tyler Toffoli are the three keys to keeping this a close game against the Sabres. Thanks to Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, the Sabres should win out with their offense and defense. Expect this to be close, and the Sharks cover, but the Sabres win outright.
Final Sabres-Sharks Prediction & Pick: San Jose Sharks +1.5 (-192)
