Sabres vs Flyers Prediction, Stream, Odds and Picks Mar 17
Sabres Favored to Bounce Back
The Buffalo Sabres look to get back on track when they visit the floundering Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Friday night. And by the NHL odds, this looks like a get-right game for Buffalo
The season is winding down fast and playoff spots come at a premium. The Sabres are hanging on to a sliver of hope in the race for a wild card spot. Whereas the Flyers are down and all but out.
Will the Sabres deliver as the favourites at the expense of the Flyers? Or will the hosts serve up the upset and defy the NHL betting markets in the process?
We weigh in on this Eastern Conference showdown and provide some discerning thoughts and betting tips to consider before you place your NHL picks.
Time Running Out for Buffalo
Buffalo is 33-28-6 with 72 points from 67 games. The Sabres are fifth overall in the Atlantic Division, one point adrift of the division-rival Florida Panthers and six points behind the New York Islanders, who are currently holding the final Eastern Conference wild card. The Sabres do have three games in hand on the Isles.
In this heightened period, with the pressure mounting as teams jockey for playoff positioning, the Sabres are struggling to find consistent form. They’re merely 3-5-2 in their last 10 games – a run of form that includes a 2-3-1 record at home and a 1-2-1 record on their travels. And they’ve lost five of their last six games, including Wednesday’s clash with the Washington Capitals.
The Sabres were up 3-1 after the first period, but the Capitals rallied behind their big stars to level the game just before the final buzzer. After a scoreless overtime, Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren denied the Sabres, saving both attempts by Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson.
The Sabres are the third-highest-scoring team in the league (3.66). But that is diminished by their defence, which is allowing the seventh-most goals (3.61) Separately, Buffalo has the fifth-best power play percentage (24.5%), but it’s juxtaposed by the second-worst penalty-kill percentage (72.3%).
It’s Tuch again! ⚔️
And the @BuffaloSabres have now scored four unanswered goals! pic.twitter.com/2SdCgd6o5e
Flyers Drop Four in a Row
With no hope of a playoff spot, Philadelphia is playing out the string. The Flyers rank seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 24-32-11 record and 59 points from 67 games.
True to type, the recent form is nothing to write home about, either. They’re a subpar 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, including a 1-2-1 record at Wells Fargo Center and a 1-5-0 record on the road.
Philadelphia has dropped four in a row – all to better opponents. The Flyers were bested by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights all while getting outscored 16-6 combined.
The Flyers are the third-lowest scoring team with an average of 2.55 goals scored per game. Contrast that with a 3.31 goals-per-game allowed average (12th worst) and one gets a sense of their problems.
Then, add to that a power play that is dead last (14.89 %) and a penalty kill that is the seventh-worst in the league (74.48 %), and one gets the impression of a lost cause.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 15, 2023
Sabres vs Flyers Game Injuries
Sabres vs Flyers Head-to-Head
Buffalo is 5-3-2 versus Philadelphia in the last 10 games, a run of form that includes a 7-3-0 record versus the total in betting online. The Flyers are 5-5-0 during this same span.
The Flyers blanked the Sabres in their last meeting with a 4-0 shutout in Buffalo on Jan. 9. The win snapped a five-game losing streak to the Sabres going back to March 31, 2021.
Sabres vs Flyers Game Information
- Game: Sabres (33-28-6) vs Flyers (24-32-11)
- Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
- Day/Time: Friday, March 17, 7:07 p.m. ET
- Sabres vs Flyers Live stream:NHL.TV
Sabres vs Flyers Betting Lines
Sabres vs Flyers Picks and Prediction
This is a get-right game for Buffalo on paper. However, its recent form is cause for concern. The Sabres should capitalize on the Flyers’ woes, but don’t be surprised if this game goes against the sports betting grain.
Buffalo is listed at -135 in our Vegas NHL lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Sabres, there’s a chance to win $74. Philadelphia is +115, with a chance to win $115 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Buffalo a 57.45% chance to win, with the Flyers at 46.51%.
