Two clubs squaring off for the second time this year, the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens collide at Bell Centre. This Atlantic Division matchup gets started at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 8, and it can be watched live on The Sports Network.
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens Odds
Buffalo (+115) is entering this one as the underdog to Montreal (-135), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total sit at -110 for the over and -110 for the under.
The Canadiens are 8-7 straight up (SU) and have earned 2.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season winning percentage is a surprising improvement over the 29-53 record from last year’s regular season campaign. Through 15 regular season outings, seven of its games have gone over the total, while an additional seven have gone under and just one has pushed. The team is 5-3 SU at home this season.
Montreal has converted on just 15.5 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s ranked 24th overall in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all penalties.
Montreal, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties 4.3 times per game this season, a number that’s up some from the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has had to kill penalties for 9.5 minutes per matchup this year.
With a .901 save percentage and 25.5 saves per game, Carey Price (5-6-2) has been the principal goalkeeper for the Canadiens this season. If they choose to give him a rest, however, the team could roll with Antti Niemi (3-1-1 record, .893 save percentage, 3.13 goals against average).
The Habs will continue looking for offensive production out of Max Domi and Tomas Tatar. Domi (16 points) has tallied nine goals and seven assists and has recorded multiple points in four different games this year. Tatar has five goals and eight assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in six games.
Buffalo has earned moneyline bettors 0.1 units this year and is currently 7-8 straight up (SU). Eight of its games have gone over the total, while six have gone under the total and just one has pushed. Buffalo’s 3-5 SU as an away team this season.
Buffalo has converted on 19.6 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 21st overall and it’s successfully killed off 77.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Buffalo’s players have been penalized only 3.7 times per game this season, a number that’s fairly close to the 3.4 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.2 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 8.4 minutes per outing this year.
Carter Hutton (28.3 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Buffalo. Hutton owns a 4-7-1 record, while registering a .909 save percentage and 2.87 goals against average this year.
Jack Eichel (four goals, 13 assists) has been one of the top playmakers on offense for the visiting Sabres.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens Betting Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Sabres, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
After going 2-6 in games decided by a shootout last year, Montreal is off to a 2-0 start in shootouts this season. Buffalo went 1-2 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
For both of these teams, the over has hit in three of their past five matchups.
This game features two teams that have clobbered opposing nets with shots. Buffalo has registered the league’s ninth-most shots on goal (32.9) while Montreal has attempted the eighth-most (33.2).
The Habs this season have recorded the third-most hits per game in the NHL (27.7), but that average has risen to 30.8 over their last five home games.
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