Subscribe
Follow Us
The Detroit Red Wings will travel to Western New York on Monday to face the Buffalo Sabres. It will be an Eastern Conference clash at the KeyBank Center as we share our NHL odds series and make a Red Wings-Sabres prediction and pick.
The Red Wings are 29-21 over the past 50 games against the Sabres. This will be the third showdown between the Wings and Sabres. Recently, the Wings beat the Sabres 2-1 on November 3, 2024, at Little Caesars Arena. The Sabres defeated the Red Wings 5-3 at KeyBank Center on October 26, 2024.
Here are the Red Wings-Sabres NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Red Wings-Sabres Odds
Detroit Red Wings: +1.5 (-210)
Moneyline: +125
Buffalo Sabres: -1.5 (+168)
Moneyline: -150
Over: 6.5 (+114)
Under: 6.5 (-140)
How To Watch Red Wingsvs Sabres
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, MSG+, and FDSD
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Red Wings Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Red Wings have had some struggles this season but got some good news this week when Patrick Kane returned to the lineup. Ultimately, it will be a big boon for the Wings, who have struggled on offense.
The Red Wings are 29th in goals and assists and 23rd in shooting percentage. Their best quality has been their ability on the extra-man attack, as the Red Wings are seventh on the powerplay.
Lucas Raymond has been the best scorer on the team. So far, he has 10 goals and 18 assists. Alex DeBrincat has been good, with 11 goals and 11 assists. Dylan Larkin has continued to be consistent, with 12 goals and nine assists. Defenseman Moritz Seider has been strong, with two goals and 11 assists. Vladimir Tarasenko is not the player he once was. Still, he has four goals and eight assists. Kane comes in with three goals and seven assists.
Cam Talbot will not play in this game as he is dealing with a lower-body injury. Therefore, Ville Husso will likely be the starting goalie in the net on Monday. He leads a defense that is 18th in goals against. Furthermore, they have struggled to shut down penalties as they rank 31st on the penalty kill.
The Red Wings will cover the spread if Raymond, DeBrincat, and Larkin can spread the ice and set themselves up for shooting chances to give the Wings an early lead. Then, they need clamp-down defense to prevent the Sabres from getting the early momentum in front of the home crowd.
Why the Sabres Could Cover the Spread/Win
Injuries have hurt the Sabres, as Rasmus Dahlin missed the game against the Winjpeg Jets. Consequently, this is not a good omen for a team that is attempting to break the longest playoff drought in the NHL.
The Sabres are 21st in goals and 24th in assists. Likewise, they are just 29th in the NHL in shooting percentage. It has not been pretty when they have had an extra man, as they are 30th on the powerplay.
Alex Tuch has been the most consistent player on the Sabres. So far, he has potted eight goals and 16 assists. Tage Thompson has also been consistent with 14 goals and seven assists. If Dahlin can play, he will come in with six goals and 13 assists. Also, the Sabres have Jason Zucker, who can contribute to the offense. Zucker has tallied five goals and 11 assists. JJ Petrika has been solid, with eight goals and nine assists. Likewise, defenseman Owen Power has added three goals and 13 assists.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely be the starting goalie on Monday, going 8-7-3 with a 2.82 goals-against average and a save percentage of .902. He leads a defense that is 21st in goals against. Additionally, they have had mixed results when killing penalties, as the Sabres are 13th on the penalty kill.
The Sabres will cover the spread if Tuch and Thompson can both spark the offense with some good breakaway chances and solid shots. Then, they need their defense to prevent Raymond, Larkin, and DeBrincat to from scoring.
Final Red Wings-Sabres Prediction & Pick
The Red Wings are 16-11 against the spread, while the Sabres are 14-11 against the odds. Moreover, the Wings are 7-6 against the spread on the road, while the Sabres are 8-7 against the odds at home. The Red Wings are 11-16 against the over/under, while the Sabres are 13-8-4 against the over/under.
Both teams are battling to stay alive in the Eastern Conference standings. However, picking one team to cover is not as advantageous as the scoreboard. Because of that, I like the Red Wings and Sabres to score more than 6.5 goals in this one.
Final Red Wings-Sabres Prediction & Pick: Over: 6.5 (+114)
