Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and the Arizona Coyotes will do battle against Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center for an East-West showdown. The action will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, October 28, and fans at home can watch the game live on Fox Arizona Plus.
Arizona Coyotes at Buffalo Sabres Odds
Arizona (+110) is playing the role of underdog to Buffalo (-130) and oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-105 for the over, -115 for the under).
Buffalo is 9-3 straight-up (SU) and has netted 7.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. That winning percentage, the league’s strongest so far this season, is a welcomed turnaround from how the team performed during the 2018-19 season (33-49). Among its 12 games this season, seven have gone over the total, while five have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 5-0 SU at home this season.
The Sabres have been able to convert on 28.3 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s good enough for fifth-best in the league. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated 15th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 81.1 percent of all penalties.
Sporting a .920 save percentage and 26.3 saves per game, Carter Hutton (6-1) has been the best goalkeeper for the Sabres this season. If Buffalo decides to rest him, however, the team may turn to Linus Ullmark (3-2-2 record, .932 save percentage, 2.56 goals against average).
On the other bench, Arizona is 6-4 straight up (SU) and has earned 2.0 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of five of its contests have gone under the total, while four have gone over and just one has pushed. The Coyotes are 3-3 SU as an away team this season.
The Coyotes have converted on 21.2 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 16th overall and it’s successfully killed off 80.0 percent of all penalties.
Darcy Kuemper (26.4 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Arizona. Kuemper has four wins and three losses to his credit, and has registered a .934 save percentage and 1.87 goals against average this year.
Arizona Coyotes vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Picks
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Sabres, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- After going 5-3 in games decided by a shootout last season, the Sabres are off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this year. The Coyotes were 4-3 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
- For both of these clubs, the over has hit in three of their last five outings.
- Arizona skaters notched 24.7 hits per game last season, while the Sabres accounted for 19.1 hits per contest.
