The Buffalo Sabres (24-29-5) travel to face off against the Montreal Canadiens (29-26-5) on Monday, March 3rd. This game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal and televised on ESPN+. Both the Sabres and Canadiens will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Sabres vs Canadiens

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

With a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, Buffalo’s record dropped to 24-29-5. The Sabres were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the game’s combined 3 goals fell short of that mark.

Buffalo scored first, with Alex Tuch finding the net at 11:39 in the first period. However, the Red Wings responded with two power-play goals in the second period to secure the win.

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped their record to 29-26-5. The Canadiens entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Montreal’s lone goal came in the third period, cutting the deficit to 2-1 before the Penguins added an empty-netter. Christian Dvorak scored for the Canadiens, who struggled with giveaways, committing 20 in the game.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense struggled in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch scoring the only goal, his 5th of the season. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but failed to capitalize on any of their 13 giveaways.

Tuch’s goal came shorthanded at 8:21 in the first period, and the Sabres went scoreless for the rest of the game. Buffalo was unable to convert on any power play opportunities.

Canadiens Offense Breakdown

Montreal’s offense was held in check in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, with Christian Dvorak netting his first goal of the season at the 14:28 mark in the third period. The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but were unable to convert on any of their 20 giveaways.

Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh. The Canadiens were shut out in the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal put them on the board.

Buffalo Team Defense

Buffalo’s defense gave up both of their goals in the second period, with each coming on the power play. They’ll look to build on a strong third period, where they didn’t allow a goal. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense recorded 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Montreal Team Defense

Montreal’s defense allowed the first two goals of the game, both from Sidney Crosby, at 4:03 in the first period and 1:20 in the second. The Canadiens narrowed the score to 2-1 in the third, but gave up an empty-net goal with 45 seconds left. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Sabres vs Canadiens Trends

• When looking at their past five road matchups, Buffalo has an puck line record of 2-3 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
• Although Montreal has a straight up record of 2-3 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 1-4. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.
• As the betting underdog, the Canadiens have an puck line record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-2.
• Against the spread, the Sabres have put together of 1-4 in their last five games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 3-2 straight up.

Sabres vs Canadiens Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Canadiens to defeat the Sabres while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -110, I’m placing a wager on the Canadiens to win outright.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Sabres to cover. Even if the Canadiens manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Sabres should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down 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.