The New Jersey Devils will take on the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. We're here to share our NHL odds series, make a Devils-Sabres prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Devils fell 2-1 in overtime to the Minnesota Wild earlier this week. Somehow, they fired 48 shots at Filip Gustavsson, but only one went in. Timo Meier scored the only goal on a powerplay. Eventually, the Devils lost as Matt Boldy put one past Vitek Vanecek as time expired in the extra session. Vanecek finished with 27 saves. Also, the Devils went 0 for 3 on the powerplay but also blocked 16 shots.
The Sabres fell 7-3 to the Nashville Predators. Initially, the Sabres fell behind 2-0 after the first, and it looked like a blowout loss. But they scored a goal to cut the deficit in the second period, giving their fans some false hope. Unfortunately, a flurry of goals by the Predators put this thing away, and things quickly fell apart. Craig Anderson played awful, as he made 14 saves and allowed six goals. Additionally, the Sabres won only 44 percent of their faceoffs. The Sabres went 1 for 4 on the power play and killed all penalties. However, all seven goals by the Devils were on even-strength situations.
The Devils come into this game with a record of 45-18-8 and are in second place in the Metropolitan Division. Also, they are 5-3-2 over 10 games. The Devils are one of the bad road teams in the NHL, compiling a 26-5-4 record away from home. Meanwhile, the Sabres are 33-31-6. The Sabres have also gone 2-6-2 over a 10-game stretch and have seen their playoff hopes all but vanish. Moreover, they are 13-20-3 at home.
The Devils defeated the Sabres 3-1 in Buffalo earlier this season. Additionally, the Devils have won six of the last 10 games against the Sabres.
Here are the Devils-Sabres NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Devils-Sabres Odds
New Jersey Devils: -1.5 (+130)
Buffalo Sabres: +1.5 (-156)
Over: 6.5 (-138)
Under: 6.5 (+112)
How To Watch Devils vs. Sabres
TV: ESPN+, MSG + MSG +
Stream: NHL
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Devils Could Cover The Spread
The Devils come into this game riding some hiccups. However, they have the talent to overcome it. Jack Hughes is their leader, with 37 goals and 44 assists. Additionally, Bico Hischier has 30 goals and 37 assists. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton has 18 goals and 48 assists. Meanwhile, Jesper Bratt has 30 goals and 34 assists. These four lead an offense that is sixth in goals scored. However, they have managed just 2.4 goals over the last 5 games. It puts their shooting percentage at 16th in the NHL. Also, it puts their powerplay percentage at 19th. Those are areas to improve. Regardless, New Jersey has the playmakers to thrive on offense.
Vanecek likely gets the start in the net and is 29-8-4 with a goals-against average of 2.49 and a save percentage of .909. Significantly, he plays behind a defense that is fourth in goals allowed and eighth on the penalty kill.
The Devils will cover the spread if they can convert on their shooting chances. Likewise, they cannot take penalties and give Tage Thompson multiple chances to score.
Why The Sabres Could Cover The Spread
Why did we mention Thompson? Only because he is having an absolute career year and is going to be one of the significant forces going forward in Buffalo. Thompson has 43 goals and 45 assists, including an astounding 19 powerplay goals. Ultimately, it is safe to say he is a stud. But he has some teammates that can snipe. Significantly, Jeff Skinner is an option. Skinner has 30 goals and 38 assists. Alex Tuch is also awesome, with 30 goals and 35 assists. Meanwhile, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin serves the role perfectly with 14 goals and 50 assists. These four deliver for an offense that is third in goals, fourth in shooting percentage, and fifth on the powerplay. So, why are the Sabres so bad?
Defense and goaltending is horrible. Unfortunately, the trip of Anderson, Eric Comrie, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have not gotten the job done. They play behind a defense that is 28th in goals allowed and 30th on the penalty kill. Will the Sabres fix this horrible issue?
The Sabres will cover the spread if they can convert on their chances early and build a lead. Then, their defense must actually defend.
Final Devils-Sabres Prediction & Pick
The Devils are a playoff team while the Sabres will stay home this season. Likewise, the Devils will likely find a way to declaw the Sabres and take one in Buffalo. Expect the Devils to prevail in this one.
Final Devils-Sabres Prediction & Pick: New Jersey Devils: -1.5 (+130)
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