The Buffalo Sabres (23-26-4) travel to face off against the Minnesota Wild (25-23-5) on Saturday, February 17th. This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul and televised on ESPN+. The Wild are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Sabres are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Panthers. Puck drop is set for 5:00 ET.
Sabres vs Wild
The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
As the 14th ranked team in the Eastern Conference, the Buffalo Sabres have struggled this season, going 23-26-4. In the Atlantic Division, they are in 7th place. On the road, Buffalo has gone 11-11-3 this season and have won two straight games away from home. Over their last ten games, the Sabres have gone 5-5.
Overall, the Sabres have been the underdog in 33 of their 53 games this season and have gone 12-18-3 in those games. In the Eastern Conference, Buffalo has gone 13-19 this season. Over their last three games, the Sabres are 1-2, and they are 2-3 over their last five games.
Buffalo enters the game with a puck line record of 28-25 for the season, including a road puck line record of 16-9. Their average scoring margin for the year sits at -0.2 goals per game, and they have gone 6-4 against the puck line in their last ten games.
So far this season, the Sabres have been the underdog in 33 of their games, and their puck line record as the underdog is 21-12. In their last three games, Buffalo is 1-2 vs. the puck line, and they have 18 wins by multiple goals compared to 19 losses by multiple goals.
Coming off a 4-0 loss at home to the Panthers, the Sabres are hoping to bounce back today. Buffalo couldn’t crack the Panthers defense, and didn’t score a single goal. The Sabres’ offense finished with 7 giveaways and attempted 45 shots on goal during the game.
Coming in as the underdog, Buffalo not only lost straight-up but also failed to cover the puck line. The over/under line for the game was 6.5, and it concluded with a combined total of 4 goals.
The Minnesota Wild Are Coming Off A Win
At home this season, the Wild have gone 13-11-3 and have been favored in 24 of their 53 games. Over their last ten games, Minnesota has gone 7-3 and they have won four straight games. In the Western Conference, the Wild are in 11th place and are 5th in the Central Division. In games against other teams from the Western Conference, Minnesota has gone 11-13 this season.
Overall, the Wild are 25-23-5 and have 55 points. When favored, Minnesota has gone 16-6-2 this season and have won two straight games as the favorite. Over their last three games, the Wild have gone 3-0 and they have gone 4-1 over their last five games.
Minnesota enters this game with a puck line record of 28-25 and has gone 6-4 against the puck line in their last ten games. So far this year, the Wild have 16 wins by multiple goals and an average scoring margin of -0.2 goals per game.
As the favorite, Minnesota has gone 10-14 against the puck line and has an average scoring margin of 0.5 goals per game in those contests. In their last three games, the Wild have gone 3-0 against the puck line.
The Wild are coming off a 3-1 road win over the Coyotes. Facing off against the Coyotes’ defense, the Wild offense scored in all three periods. Minnesota’s one power-play goals contributed to their total of 3 goals. Their offensive performance came with 43 shots on goal and 10 giveaways.
Coming into the game favored by -1.5, Minnesota also managed to pick up a victory against the puck line. Combining for 4 goals, the game finished below the over/under line of 6.
Buffalo Offense Breakdown
The Sabres come into the game scoring an average of 2.9 goals per game, putting them 21st in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 9th in the league. The Buffalo offense is ranked 28th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 24th in the NHL.
This season, the Sabres’ have an over/under record of 22-29-2. Throughout the season, they have played 31 games that did not exceed the 6.5 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 6 goals per game.
Wild Offense Breakdown
When looking at their offense, the Wild have an average of 3 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 18th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 19th in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Wild offense is 12th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 26th in the NHL.
The Wild come in with an over/under record of 25-24-4. Over the course of the season, they have had 27 games failing to surpass the 6.5 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 6.3 per game.
Buffalo Team Defense
Defensively, the Sabres come into the season ranked 24th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.2 shots per game against Buffalo. For the season, they are ranked 7th in shutouts, coming in with 4 shutouts.
Minnesota Team Defense
Defensively, the Wild come into the season ranked 19th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 30.2 shots per game against Minnesota. For the season, they are ranked 19th in shutouts, coming in with 3 shutouts.
Sabres vs Wild Trends
- In their last five road games, Buffalo has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 2 . The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 4-1 vs. the spread.
- Across the Wild last ten home games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 4-6, while going 3-7 straight-up.
- The last ten games that Minnesota was the underdog, they have an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 4-6 straight up.
- The last ten games that Buffalo was favored, they have an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.
Sabres vs Wild Prediction
For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Wild to pick up on a win over the Sabres at home. With the moneyline sitting at -154, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Wild straight-up.
If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Sabres to cover. Even if the Wild manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Sabres should cover the puck line.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* 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.
Last updated:February 17, 2024 Sabres, Wild