The KeyBank Center is playing host an East-West matchup as the Buffalo Sabres square off against the visiting Nashville Predators. The match will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, March 19, and fans at home are able to watch it live on Fox Sports Tennesse.
Nashville Predators vs. Buffalo Sabres Odds
Nashville (+195) is playing the role of underdog to Nashville (-235), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals (-130 money on the over, +110 on the under).
Nashville is 47-24 straight up (SU) and has earned 16.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 71 regular season contests, 35 of its games have gone over the total, while another 35 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the away team this season, the Preds are 22-13 SU.
Nashville has converted on 20.9 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.8 percent of all penalties.
Nashville, as a collective unit, has been whistled for penalties 4.5 times per game this season, 5.0 per game over its last five contests total, and 4.2 per game over its last five road outings. The teams had to defend opponent power plays 10.6 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Sporting a .929 save percentage and 29.3 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (39-13-4) has been the best option in goal for Nashville this season. If head coach Peter Laviolette chooses to rest him, however, Nashville might turn to Juuse Saros (8-12-6 record, .925 save percentage, 2.37 goals against average).
The visiting Predators will be led by Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg. Arvidsson (53 points) is up to 26 goals and 27 assists, and has recorded multiple points 15 times. Forsberg has 20 goals and 31 assists to his creditand has registered at least one point in 35 games.
Over on the other bench, Buffalo is 23-48 straight up (SU) and has lost 15.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. 34 of its games have gone under the total, while 33 have gone over and just four have pushed. The team is 11-25 SU at home this season.
Buffalo has converted on just 17.5 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that places it in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Buffalo players have been penalized 3.5 times per game in total this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 8.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Robin Lehner has stopped 27.3 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for Buffalo. Lehner has 14 wins, 37 losses, and nine OT losses to his name and has maintained a .911 save percentage and 2.93 goals against average this season.
The Sabres offense will be led by Jack Eichel (22 goals, 32 assists).
Nashville Predators vs. Buffalo Sabres Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- The over has hit in four of Buffalo’s last five games.
- Power-play chances could prove to be extremely important tonight. The Predators are 17-5 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 23-13 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Sabres are 8-19 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 19-33 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
- Nashville is 5-6 in games decided by a shootout this season while Buffalo is 1-2 in shootouts.
- Buffalo skaters have averaged 7.6 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 5.6 takeaways per game (ranked 29th in the NHL).
- Nashville has scored 3.3 goals per game (while allowing just 1.7) in their last three games (the teams a perfect 3-0 SU during that streak),
- Nashville has managed 6.8 takeaways per game over its last five road games, a drop-off from its season average of 8.0 takeaways per game (ranked 11th in the NHL).
- Nashville might hold the upper hand if this one comes down to the wire. The teams an impressive 22-13 in games decided by one goal, while Buffalo is only 10-22 in such games.
