The Toronto Maple Leafs take the short trip to Buffalo to face the Buffalo Sabres. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Maple Leafs-Sabres prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Maple Leafs come into the game at 16-7-6 on the year and are coming off facing the Rangers for the second time in four games. After a scoreless first period, the Rangers got on the board first with a Mika Zibanejad goal. Auston Matthews would tie it up, but the Rangers scored on the power play to make it 2-1 heading into the third period. Once again, Auston Matthews would come through. He tied the game up just 1:16 into the period. The Rangers would get the next three goals, including one on the power play and an empty net to win 5-2.

The Sabres enter the game sitting at 13-17-3. They are in a rough patch though, winning just three of their last 11 games overall. Last time out, they faced the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Sabres took a 1-0 lead on a Rasmus Dahlin goal just 30 seconds into the game. Still, in the last ten minutes of the first period, the Blue Jackets scored three times, capped by a Kirill Marchenko power play goal. In the second, Marchenko would score twice in just 18 seconds to cap his hat trick, as the Blue Jackets would score four in the period. The Sabres started a come back though. Kyle Okposo scored in the second, then they got two in the third to make it 7-4, but it would not be enough as the Blue Jackets would win 9-4.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Maple Leafs-Sabres Odds

Toronto Maple Leafs:-154

Buffalo Sabres: +128

Over: 6.5 (-142)

Under: 6.5 (+116)

How to Watch Maple Leafs vs. Sabres

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

TV: NHLPP/ESPN+

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Maple Leafs Will Win

The Maple Leafs rank second in the NHL in goals per game this year, sitting with 3.59 goals per game this year. The last time-out was their lowest goal total in their last nine games. Auston Matthews leads the team in goals this year. He enters the game with 25 goals on the season, with 12 assists, totaling 37 points. He has been solid on the power play, coming in with seven power-play goals and four power-play assists.  Meanwhile, William Nylander is the team leader in points this year while sitting second on the team in goals. He enters the game with 15 goals on the year and 26 assists, good for 41 points. He has been solid on the power play as well, with five goals and nine assists on the man-advantage this year.

Third on the team in both goals and points, this year has been Mitchell Marner. He has 13 goals this year with 21 assists, good for 34 points. Like the others, the power play has been huge for him. He has three goals and seven assists this year on the power play. Rounding out the top scorers is John Tavares, who has nine goals and 20 assists this year, good for 29 total points.

The Toronto power play has scored 22 times this year, good for a 25.9 percent success rate which is fifth in the NHL. Meanwhile, they are 22nd in the NHL when shorthanded this year, sitting with a 78.2 percent success rate on the penalty kill.

Ilya Samsonov is expected to be in goal for the Maple Leafs today. He is 5-1-5 on the year with a 3.51 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage. After recording a shutout in his first start of the month, he has struggled in his last two. Samsonov has given up ten goals on 64 shots in the last two starts. That is good for a .831 save percentage in those two games, while he has lost both of them in overtime.

Why The Sabres Will Win

The Sabres have continued to struggle to score this year, sitting 25th in the NHL with just 2.85 goals per game. Casey Mittelstadt comes leading the team in points this year. He has eight goals and 20 assists on the year, good for 28 points. He has not done much on the power play this year, with just three assists. Right behind him in points is Rasmum Dahlin. The defenseman enters the game with eight goals and 19 assists on the year, good for 27 points. Meanwhile, he had two goals and six assists on the power play.

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, Alex Tuch has been solid this year as well. He is third on the team in goals, sitting with nine of them on the year. With his 11 assists, he comes in with 20 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 13 power-play goals with a 14.0 percent conversion rate. Meanwhile, the Sabres are 14th in the NHL on the penalty kill this year at an 80.6 percent success rate.

The expectation is that Devin Levi will get the start in goal. He is 6-4-2 on the year with a 3.27 goals against average and a .892 save percentage this year. He came in for a relief appearance in the last game, giving up four goals on 18 shots in the game. If it is not Levi, Eric Comrie will most likely get the start. He is 1-5-0 this year with a 4.01 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage.

Final Maple Leafs-Sabres Prediction & Pick

The two teams have already met once this year, with the Sabres coming out with a 6-4 win in that one. Still, expect plenty of goals to be scored in this one as well. The Maple Leafs are one of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL this year, while their defense has been suspect. The Sabres do not score a ton, but they will give up a bunch. While the Maple Leafs should win over a struggling Sabres squad, the best play in this game will be on the total.

Final Maple Leafs-Sabres Prediction & Pick: Over 6.5 (-142)