Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri, and the New Jersey Devils will face off against Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, and the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center in an Eastern Conference showdown. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 8, and you can witness the game live on MSG Network.
New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres Odds
This matchup’s moneyline and Over/Under odds have not been posted by oddsmakers yet.
Buffalo is 22-20 straight-up (SU) and has earned 5.5 units for moneyline bettors this season. That early-season winning percentage is a remarkable improvement over the 25-57 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. Of its 42 games this season, 20 have gone under the total, while 20 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 13-8 SU at home this year.
The Sabres have converted on 18.6 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated sixth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 83.6 percent of all penalties.
With a .917 save percentage and 28.5 saves per game, Carter Hutton (13 wins, 15 losses, and three OT losses) has been the primary goalkeeper for the Sabres this season. If the Sabres decide to give him a rest, however, the team might roll with Linus Ullmark (10-5-5 record, .924 save percentage, 2.69 goals against average).
In the other locker room, New Jersey is 16-25 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.7 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. A total of 23 of its matches have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under the total and just two have pushed. As a road team, the Devils are 5-17 SU so far.
The Devils have converted on 18.9 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked second overall and it’s successfully killed off 85.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Keith Kinkaid (.900 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average) has been the main option in goal for New Jersey. Kinkaid is averaging 25.3 saves per game and owns a 13-18-6 record.
New Jersey Devils at Buffalo Sabres Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Sabres, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Over New Jersey’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
- Penalties and power plays may prove to be extremely important in this game. The Devils are 7-7 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 9-19 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, in total. The Sabres are 9-7 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 17-13 when total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- Buffalo is 3-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while New Jersey is 1-2 in shootouts.
- Buffalo could have an advantage if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s 12-10 in games decided by one goal, while New Jersey is 4-12 in such games.
- For both of these teams, the under has hit in four of their last five games.
- New Jersey has averaged 8.0 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.1 giveaways per game (ranked 11th).
- Buffalo skaters have averaged 9.8 giveaways over its last five home games, its season average of 9.2 giveaways per game (ranked 11th in the league).
