Avalanche vs Sabres Prediction, Preview, Odds & Picks Dec. 01
Defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche has undergone roster turnover and is suffering through injuries, but they will emerge as a potential Stanley Cup contender as the season continues. If you’re not watching the Buffalo Sabres, you are missing out on fun hockey on most nights. The Sabres won’t make the playoffs this year but are building their roster into a potential Stanley Cup contender a few years down the road.
The present meets the future on Thursday night as the Colorado Avalanche continues its road trip to Buffalo to take on the Sabres. We’ll review the recent trends, scores and odds to make our predictions for your betting ticket.
Let’s check the latest NHL odds, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Avalanche vs Sabres. We’ve plenty of NHL betting odds for you to consider.
Avalanche Scoring Looking to Bounce Back
The Colorado Avalanche enters Thursday’s matchup with a 12-7-1 record. The Avs have won three of their last five games, with only one game hitting the over of 6.0 or 6.5 goals and three games ending in a 1.5-goal spread.
In their last matchup, the Avalanche was shut out by the Winnipeg Jets 5-0 on November 29th.
Colorado averages 3.30 goals per game on 33.2 shots while giving up 2.60 goals on 33.1 shots per game. The Avalanche has the best powerplay in the NHL, scoring twenty-three powerplay goals and converting on 32.4% of their powerplay chances.
The Avs’ penalty-killing efficiency has slowly improved from a difficult start, now killing off 76.8% of penalties (sixteen powerplay goals against).
Notable for your online sports betting are the players on the Avalanche’s injury report. Martin Kaut and Bowen Byram are listed as out, while Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin are listed on the injured reserve but are due back in the Avs lineup soon.
Mikko Rantanen leads the Avs in scoring with twenty-nine points (thirteen goals, sixteen assists). Nathan MacKinnon is right behind with twenty-eight points (six goals, twenty-two assists). Along with Cale Makar, these are your three prop bet targets for your online sports betting ticket.
The Avalanche started Alexandar Georgiev (10-3-1, 2.48 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) in their last two games and regularly start Pavel Francouz after two-straight starts from Georgiev.
With a heavyweight matchup against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, we expect Francouz to get the start against the Sabres. Francouz has a 2-4-0 record, a 2.70 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage.
Tage Thompson-Led Sabres Fun to Watch
The Buffalo Sabres might not make the playoffs this season, but they are fun to watch night in and night out. The Sabres enter Thursday’s matchup with a 10-12-1 record, having won three of their last five games, with four hitting the over of 6.0 or 6.5 goals and three ending in a 1.5 goal spread.
The Sabres are averaging 3.70 goals per game on 32.6 shots while giving up 3.61 goals on 32.4 shots against per game. The Sabres’ powerplay is ranked in the top half of the NHL, scoring 26.2% of their powerplay chances (twenty-two powerplay goals). The Sabres’ penalty kill will be tested by the best powerplay in the league, only killing 73.1% of penalties (twenty-one powerplay goals against).
Tage Thompson is the emerging superstar Buffalo needs to help lead the young, talented Sabres to the next level. Thompson leads the Sabres with twenty-nine points (fourteen goals, fifteen assists) and will only improve over the rest of the season and the next few.
The Sabres won their last game 5-4 in a shootout over the Detroit Red Wings on November 30. Since Eric Comrie was placed on the injury report, the Sabres have alternated goalies every game.
We’re going to assume this trend continues, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get the start for the Buffalo Sabres. Luukkonen has a 1-1-1 record, with a 3.95 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage.
Avalanche vs Sabres Game Injuries
This is the first of two head-to-head matchups between the Colorado Avalanche and the Buffalo Sabres in 2022-23.
In the 2021-22 NHL season, the Avalanche won both matchups against the Sabres. Colorado averaged 4.50 goals per game, while the Sabres averaged 2.0 goals.
Avalanche vs Sabres Game Information
- Game: Avalanche (12-7-1) vs Sabres (10-12-1)
- Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
- Day/Time: Thursday, December 1, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Avalanche vs Sabres Live stream:NHL.TV
Avalanche vs Sabres Betting Lines
Avalanche vs Sabres Picks & Prediction
Let’s quickly review the NHL odds and betting records before making our picks.
- Worth betting the Moneyline?
We’ve got the Colorado Avalanche as the moneyline favorite at -175, while the Buffalo Sabres are listed at +155. The Avalanche has a 12-8 SU record, while the Sabres are 10-13.
The Sabres are listed at +1½ (-155) on the puck line, while the Avalanche is -1½ (+135). The Sabres have an 11-12 record against the spread, while the Avalanche are 11-9.
The total goals line is set at 6½, with the over and under both at -110. The Avs have an 8-12 over/under record, while the Sabres are 13-9 over/under.
Our first prediction is to take the Colorado Avalanche on the moneyline. The Avalanche are the better hockey team and should win this game, regardless of who they start. Buffalo can win this game, but they’ll need their penalty killers and goaltending to be sharp.
As for the spread, we like the Sabres to cover the spread at home. We expect Tage Thompson and the Sabres to keep this one close and defy the current trend of Colorado covering the spread in two of their last three victories.
We’ll take the Sabres to cover the spread. Although, we might switch that pick closer to puck drop. The Avs could win and cover the spread, a possible parlay in this game.
The Colorado Avalanche are listed at -175 in our Vegas Lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Avalanche, you have a chance to win $57. The Sabres are +155, offering a chance to win $155.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Avalanche a 63.64% chance to win, with the Sabres at 39.22%.
