The Buffalo Sabres and the Chicago Blackhawks plan to meet up in a premier inter-conference duel later this evening! With that being said, let's check out our NHL odds series where our Sabres-Blackhawks prediction and pick will be made.
The last time we saw the Sabres in action, they fell short to the Panthers by a score of 4-1 and now have lost four of their previous five matchups. As it stands, Buffalo possesses a 21-19-2 record and needs to start winning before their season falls apart.
On paper, Chicago is the worst team in the league with only 26 points, but the Blackhawks have at least been able to come out victorious in three of their previous four games. Even with their most recent loss coming at the hands of the Kraken by a score of 8-5, there is no doubt that Chicago is trending in a positive direction even if postseason play may be out of reach.
Here are the Sabres-Blackhawks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDue
NHL Odds: Sabres-Blackhawks Odds
Buffalo Sabres: -1.5 (+128)
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-158)
Over: 6.5 (-112)
Under: 6.5 (-108)
How To Watch Sabres vs. Blackhawks
TV: ESPN+
Stream: NHLPP/ESPN+
Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Sabres Could Cover The Spread
After a thrilling and high-scoring 6-5 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild coming ten days ago, the Sabres have since spiralled into a losing stretch that has seen their overall record only sit two games above the .500 mark. Alas, Buffalo is no doubt within the midst of a difficult stretch of play but could be receiving just what the doctor ordered against one of the worst teams in professional hockey.
To begin, can the Sabres do enough to not turn the puck over in the neutral zone? This has been a critical error that Buffalo is currently struggling with as keeping possession of the puck and garnering some momentum in the opposing team's zone has oftentimes been difficult to come by as of late. Nevertheless, this is a Sabres offense that is averaging a whopping 3.79 goals per game and are led by the ultra-talented right-winger Tage Thompson who leads the club with 31 goals and 58 points on the season. With only one point in his last two games combined, Buffalo needs to do everything in their power to get Thompson some good looks from the opening face-off.
Without a doubt, the biggest concern when it comes to the Sabres finding a way to cover the spread as been their effort defensively. At first glance, Buffalo has struggled mightily in playing fundamentally sound and also jarring the puck loose from their foes. Of course, Buffalo's defensive statistics aren't very gaudy by any means, but allowing Chicago to do whatever they want from an offensive perspective will prove to be a big no-no.
Why The Blackhawks Could Cover The Spread
Clearly, things this season have been far from picture-perfect for a Chicago franchise that is filled with rich past history, but that doesn't mean that the Blackhawks don't have what it takes to find a way to cover the spread against a reeling squad like the Sabres.
For starters, the Blackhawks need to have a short memory and return to the type of play that they were showing off when they tallied three consecutive wins for only the second time this season. More specifically, a repeated defensive effort cannot be replicated if Chicago wants to find any ounce of success on Tuesday night. After allowing an immense eight goals to Seattle in their most recent loss, the Blackhawks only gave up five goals throughout their three straight victories and need a bounce-back effort in this department.
Not to mention, Chicago is statistically the worst-offensive-rated team in the league which will put even more stress on this defensive unit. All in all, the Blackhawks average only 2.29 goals per contest and have scored only five goals once in their last nine games played. Regardless, forward Max Domi has been the lone-bright spot in a miserable season in the Windy City as he leads the team in goals and points scored on the year. A former first-round pick from the 2013 NHL Draft, Domi is fresh off of a multi-point performance versus the Kraken and will look to have some similar success later this evening.
Final Sabres-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick
Since the Blackhawks possess a league-low 94 goals this year and are also coming off one of their worst defensive showings of the season, it is hard to put your trust in Chicago especially since Buffalo has won six of their last seven matchups as the visiting team.
Final Sabres-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Sabres -1.5 (+128)
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