Devils vs Sabres Prediction, Odds and Picks Mar 24
Sabres Giving Up Goals in Bunches
Time is running out on the Buffalo Sabres and their attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season. New Jersey can hit the 100-point mark for the first time in more than a decade.
The Devils are tied with Boston for the most road wins in the NHL, while Buffalo is seven games under .500 on home ice.
The Devils average 3.83 goals on the road, tying for second in the NHL. Only Boston has a better goal differential in road games than the Devils. Buffalo is last in the NHL with a 4.11 goals against average (GAA) and a 68.3% mark when killing penalties, so keep that in mind when making NHL picks.
According to NHL news, Wingers Miles Wood and Nathan Bastian are questionable for the Devils. Center Curtis Lazar and goalies Jonathan Bernier and Mackenzie Blackwood are out indefinitely. Tomas Tatar missed practice on Thursday, so keep an eye on his status.
With no Tomas Tatar, Nolan Foote moves up to his spot with Palat and Boqvist while Miles Wood joins McLeod and Sharangovich.#NJDevilspic.twitter.com/koXFQ8eqyg
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) March 23, 2023
For Buffalo, winger Jordan Greenway is out, as are defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and goalie Eric Comrie.
According to the NHL playoff odds, New Jersey (+1200) is tied for sixth in the odds to win the Stanley Cup title. The Sabres are well back at +20000 in the championship odds.
Power Outage
The Devils are in a bit of a rut right now, with one win over the last five games since a victory against the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
A big problem has come on the power play, with just one goal with the man advantage during that time. Earning just 12 power play opportunities has been an issue.
New Jersey has as many short-handed goals during that stretch.
This is not a new trend, with New Jersey managing just seven power-play goals in the 18 regulation losses. Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton are tied for the team lead with eight power-play goals. Bratt has not scored on the power play in the last 10 games, with Hamilton being held without a goal on the power play in 16 consecutive games.
The Las Vegas odds total has gone under in six of New Jersey’s last eight games.
Offering Little Resistance
This Buffalo Sabres team is hardly a defensive juggernaut. However, things dropped to a new low over the last four games.
Buffalo has allowed seven goals in each of the last two games and has been outscored 23-9 while posting a record of 0-3-1.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has a 5.26 GAA with a .843 save percentage. Those aren’t even the worst numbers on the team.
Veteran Craig Anderson has allowed 11 goals on 42 shots in his last two appearances. He has a .738 save percentage and GAA of 6.88.
Star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is -8 during that stretch and Kale Clague is -5 in just two games, as Buffalo‘s defensemen are a combined -20 in those four games.
The NHL betting lines total has gone over in four of Buffalo’s last five games.
Devils vs Sabres Game Injuries
Devils vs Sabres Head-to-Head
New Jersey has won six of the last eight meetings after topping the Sabres 3-1 on Nov. 25. That ended a run of four of the last five games in the series going over the total.
The visiting team has won five of the last six games, with four meetings being decided by one goal. The first matchup this season appeared to be headed that way before a late goal by Tomas Tatar. The teams will play each other twice over the next 10 games.
Devils vs Sabres Game Information
- Game: Devils (45-18-8) vs Sabres (33-31-6)
- Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
- Day/Time: Friday, March 24, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Devils vs Sabres Live Stream: NHL.TV
Devils vs Sabres Betting Lines
Devils vs Sabres Picks and Prediction
Two of the rising stars among American-born players will be front and center in this matchup.
New Jersey’s Jack Hughes is three goals shy of 40, while Buffalo’s Tage Thompson has 43 goals and 45 assists. He has a chance to join an elite group of U.S.-born players with at least 50 goals in a season.
The Devils are 31-18-4 when listed by the sportsbook as the favorite. Buffalo is 21-28-5 as the underdog. New Jersey has covered 22 of its 35 road games. Buffalo is 16-20 against the spread at home.
The New Jersey Devils are listed at -170 in our Las Vegas NHL odds. This means that if you wager $100 on the Devils, you have a chance to win $59. Buffalo is +150, offering a chance to win $150 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the New Jersey Devils a 62.96% chance to win, with the Buffalo Sabres at 40.00%.
