Two teams that split their season series 2-2 last year, the Detroit Red Wings and the Buffalo Sabres take the ice at the KeyBank Center. This Atlantic Division matchup will get started at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 9 and it will be broadcasted live on Fox Sports Detroit.
Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres Odds
This contest’s moneyline and Over/Under odds have not been posted by oddsmakers yet.
Netting 3.9 units for moneyline bettors, the Sabres are 26-27 straight up (SU) overall thus far. That early-season winning percentage is a welcomed improvement over the 25-57 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. Among its 53 games this season, 29 have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under and just one has pushed. The team is 15-11 SU at home this year.
Buffalo has converted on 17.8 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 11th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of all penalties.
Buffalo, as a collective unit, has been penalized just 3.2 times per game overall this season, and 2.4 per game over its last ten outings. The team has had to kill penalties for just 4.8 minutes per game over its last 10 matchups, in total.
Boasting a .909 save percentage and 27.3 saves per game, Carter Hutton (15-18-3) has been the principal goalkeeper for the Sabres this season. If they choose to rest him, however, the team may turn to Linus Ullmark (12-11-11 record, .909 save percentage, 3.06 goals against average).
Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner will each be offensive focal points for the Sabres. Eichel (57 points) is up to 17 goals and 40 assists and has recorded multiple points in 20 different games this year. Skinner has 33 goals and 16 assists to his name and has notched a point in 33 games.
Detroit has lost 1.6 units for moneyline bettors thus far and is currently 21-33 straight up (SU). A total of 26 of its outings have gone under the total, while 25 have gone over and just two have pushed. As the visiting team so far, Detroit is 10-16 SU.
Detroit has converted on just 16.3 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s ranked 24th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 25th overall and it’s successfully killed off 78.0 percent of all opponent power plays.
Detroit’s players have been penalized 3.7 times per game this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five road outings. The team’s had to kill penalties just 5.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jimmy Howard (28.5 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Detroit. Howard owns a 15-21-5 record, while registering a .914 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive counter for the visiting Red Wings will be Dylan Larkin (22 goals, 29 assists) and Gustav Nyquist (13 goals, 33 assists).
Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Sabres, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Detroit has managed 31.4 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Buffalo is averaging 37.4 shots per game over its last five home outings.
- The Red Wings are 4-15 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 13-20 in games where they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total.
- Detroit is 2-5 in games decided by a shootout this season while Buffalo is 4-1 in shootouts.
- Buffalo has created 8.0 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 6.3 takeaways per game (ranked 28th).
- Detroit skaters have created 6.0 takeaways per game over its last five road games, right in line with its season average of 5.9 takeaways per game (ranked 29th in the league).
