The Chicago Blackhawks (12-21-2) travel to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (12-19-4) on Friday, December 27th. This game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo and televised on ESPN2. The Blackhawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Sabres are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Red Wings. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Blackhawks vs Sabres

The Chicago Blackhawks Are Coming Off A Win

Chicago improved to 12-21-2 with a 4-2 win over the Ducks. As underdogs on the puck line, the Blackhawks covered, and the total of 6 goals fell just short of the 6.5 line.

Four different players scored for Chicago, who led 3-0 before the Ducks got on the board. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring at 7:03 in the first period.

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo’s 2-1 loss to the Red Wings brought their record to 12-19-4. The Sabres held a 1-0 lead after the first period, but Detroit responded with two goals in the second. Buffalo entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined score of 3 falling short of that mark.

Alex Tuch scored the Sabres’ only goal, finding the net at 11:39 in the first period. Tuch’s goal was unassisted and came while the Sabres were short-handed. Both of Detroit’s goals were scored by Dylan Larkin and came on the power play.

Chicago Offense Breakdown

Chicago’s offense netted four goals in their 4-2 win over Anaheim, with Ryan Donato scoring his 7th goal of the season. Seth Jones added his 2nd goal, while Teuvo Teravainen scored for the 4th time this year. Isaak Phillips also got on the board, marking his first goal of the season.

Connor Bedard contributed with two assists, bringing his total to 9 for the season. Taylor Hall added his 3rd and 4th assists. The Blackhawks took 29 shots on goal and scored twice on the power play.

Sabres Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense struggled in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch scoring the team’s only goal, his 5th of the season. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but failed to find the net again after Tuch’s 1st-period, shorthanded goal.

Buffalo had 13 giveaways and no assists in the game, as Tuch’s goal was unassisted. Despite the 32 shots on goal, the Sabres were unable to capitalize on any power play opportunities.

Chicago Team Defense

Arvid Söderblom made 38 saves with a 95% save percentage in the Blackhawks’ 4-2 win over Anaheim. Chicago’s defense added 6 takeaways and 5 hits, but they conceded two late goals in the 3rd period, including one with just 4 seconds left.

Buffalo Team Defense

Defensively, the Sabres will look to build on a third period where they didn’t allow a goal. However, they gave up two in the second period, both on the power play. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense added 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Blackhawks vs Sabres Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Chicago has an puck line record of 1-2 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
• In their last ten games at home, the Sabres have a straight up record of 1-9 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 3 goals per game in this stretch.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Sabres have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Blackhawks have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.

Blackhawks vs Sabres Prediction

If you’re interested in a pure moneyline wager, then the Sabres is the preferred option. However, with a payout of -177, it might be worth considering this bet as a component of a larger parlay.

If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Blackhawks to cover. Even in the event of a Sabres victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.