The Buffalo Sabres return home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blue Jackets-Sabres prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Blue Jackets enter the game sitting at 10-17-5 on the year. Last time out they faced the New Jersey Devils. Jack Hughes started the scoring for the Devils, putting one in just 47 seconds into the game. They would add another one in the period to lead 2-0. The Blue Jackets would get a goal back on a Kirill Marchenko power-play goal and scored twice in the period, but Hughes scored on the power play to end the period, and the Devils led 4-2 after two. In the third, it was Hughes again to close out the game, as he completed his hat trick on an empty net goal, and the Devils would win 6-3.

Meanwhile, the Sabres enter the game at 13-16-3 on the year. The Sabres are also getting healthy, recently welcoming back Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson, and Jack Quinn should also be back soon. The Sabres struggled in their last game though. Last time out they faced the Arizona Coyotes. They allowed just two goals in the game, with a goal in the second and the third, but Karel Vejmelka stopped all 28 shots he faced as the Sabres were shut, falling 2-0.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Blue Jackets-Sabres Odds

Columbus Blue Jackets: +152

Buffalo Sabres: -184

Over: 6.5 (-118)

Under: 6.5 (-104)

How to Watch Blue Jackets vs. Sabres

Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT

TV: NHLPP/ESPN+

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Blue Jackets Will Win

The Blue Jackets are averaging 3.00 goals per game this year, good for 20th in the NHL. They are still missing their leading scorer, with Bonne Jenner out. He had 13 goals and five assists before going out with an injury. Still, he has spent ten days on the IR now and could be back soon.  With him gone, Kirill Marchenko stepped up. He is tied with Jenner for second on the team in points this year, coming in with ten goals and eight assists on the year. He also has been solid on the power play, with four goals on the power play this season.

Meanwhile, the top points-scoring man this year comes from the blue line for the Blue Jackets. Zach Werenski leads the team in points this year, coming in with one goal and 22 assists this year. His 23 points are the most on the team, while his 22 assists are seven more than the next most. The next most is another defender, Ivan Provorov, who comes in with two goals and 15 assists this year. Provorov is tied for fourth on the team in points this year. It is a three-way tied there, with Adam Fantilli and Johnny Gaudreau both having 17 points this year as well.

The Blue Jackets power play has struggled. They sit 25th in the NHL with a 15.4 percent conversion rate this year, while having just 14 power-play goals on the season. They have been good on the penalty kill though, The Blue Jackets rank seventh in the NHL with an 84.3 success rate when man-down this year.

Elvis Merzlikins is expected to make the start in this game. He is 7-8-4 on the year with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Last time out, he faced a gluttony of shots. Merzlikins faced 48 shots in the game and made 43 saves, getting the overtime win over the Maple Leafs. He has not been great in the last two games, with nine goals against in the last two, but he has also faced 87 shots in the last two games.

Why The Sabres Will Win

While the Blue Jackets are not scoring well, the Sabres are not either. They are 26th in the NHL with 2.81 goals per game this season. The leading goal scorers this year and JJ Peterka and Jeff Skinner. Both of them come into the game tied for third on the team in points as well. They both have 12 goals and 10 assists on the season. Skinner has been better on the power play though, with five power-play goals, while Peterka has just one with two assists. Meanwhile, Casey Mittelstadt comes in tied for the lead in points this year. He has eight goals and 17 assists on the year. He has not done much on the power play this year, with just three assists on the power play.

Tied with Mittlestadt is Rasmus Dahlin from the blue line. He enters the game with seven goals and 18 assists on the year, good for 25 points. Meanwhile, he had two goals and five assists on the power play. Meanwhile. Alex Tuch has been solid this year as well. He is third on the team ng goals, sitting with nine of them on the year. With his ten assists, he comes in with 19 points, good for fifth on the team.

The Sabres have also struggled heavily on the power play this year, sitting 27th in the NHL this year on the power play. They have just 12 power-play goals with a 13.3 conversion rate. Meanwhile, the Sabres are 12th in the NHL on the penalty kill this year at an 81.2 percent success rate.

The expectation is that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will is expected to be in goal for this game. He is 6-7-1 on the year with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. He has lost each of his last four starts, but not all of them are his fault. In two of the games, he let up five or more goals. He also has two games where he let in just two goals and took losses in both of them.

Final Blue Jackets-Sabres Prediction & Pick

Both teams are struggling heavily coming into this game. Neither team scores very well, and neither of them defend great either. Still, the Sabres have been the better defensive team as of late. The Blue Jackets have struggled much more on the road than at home this year. Taking the Sabres on the three-way will get better odds, but they will get the win in this game.

Final Blue Jackets-Sabres Prediction & Pick: Sabres ML (-184)