The Buffalo Sabres (15-21-5) travel to face off against the Ottawa Senators (19-18-3) on Thursday, January 9th. This game will be played at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa and televised on ESPN+. The Senators 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.

Sabres vs Senators

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo fell to 15-21-5 after a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings. The Sabres were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 3 goals fell short of the 6.5 set before the game.

Buffalo scored first, with Alex Tuch finding the net at 11:39 in the first period. The Red Wings responded with two goals in the second period, both from Dylan Larkin, to hand the Sabres another loss.

The Ottawa Senators Are Coming Off A Win

With a 3-0 win over the Kraken, the Senators moved above .500, now sitting at 19-18-3. Ottawa entered the game as -1.5 goal favorites and covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short.

Three different players scored for Ottawa, with Adam Gaudette opening the scoring in the first period. The Senators’ defense held Seattle to 22 shots, all stopped by Anton Forsberg. Tim Stützle added a goal in the third period to seal the win.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense was held to just one goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch netted his 5th goal of the season, scoring unassisted on a shorthanded opportunity at 8:21 in the first period. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but failed to convert on any of their 13 giveaways.

After Tuch’s early goal, the Sabres were shut out for the remainder of the game. They didn’t score in the second or third periods, despite putting 5 shots on goal from Tuch himself.

Senators Offense Breakdown

Ottawa’s offense was led by Adam Gaudette, who netted his 7th goal of the season at 14:32 in the first period. Brady Tkachuk followed with his 7th goal as well, scoring at 8:49 in the second period. Tim Stützle added an empty-netter, his 6th goal of the season, with 2:14 left in the game.

The Senators registered 23 shots on goal and recorded 11 giveaways. They finished with 5 assists, including Tim Stützle’s 10th assist on Tkachuk’s goal.

Buffalo Team Defense

Defensively, the Sabres had a solid first and third period, but they gave up two costly goals in the second, both on the power play. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen recorded 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage. Buffalo’s defense also contributed 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Ottawa Team Defense

Ottawa’s defense was solid in their last game, recording 25 hits and 2 takeaways. Goalie Anton Forsberg made 22 saves with a 100% save percentage, helping the Senators secure a 3-0 win over Seattle.

Sabres vs Senators Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Sabres have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 3-7 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
• Through their last five home contests, the Senators offense has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing an average of 1. Ottawa posted an overall record of 4-1 while going 2-3 ATS.
• Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Senators have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 1-2.
• The last three games that Buffalo was favored, they have an puck line mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.

Sabres vs Senators Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Senators to defeat the Sabres while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -150, I’m placing a wager on the Senators to win outright.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Sabres to cover. Even if the Senators win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Sabres should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 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.