The Carolina Hurricanes (26-15-3) travel to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (16-22-5) on Wednesday, January 15th. This game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo and televised on TNT. The Hurricanes 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 6:00 ET.

Hurricanes vs Sabres

The Carolina Hurricanes Are Coming Off A Win

With a 4-2 win over the Capitals, the Hurricanes improved to 26-15-3 this season. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

The Hurricanes scored first, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. Carolina then scored three unanswered goals to secure the win, including an empty-netter in the final seconds.

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo fell to 16-22-5 after a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings. The Sabres were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.

Buffalo struck first with a short-handed goal by Alex Tuch in the first period. However, the Red Wings responded with two power-play goals in the second period to secure the win.

Carolina Offense Breakdown

Carolina took 45 shots on goal in their 4-2 win over the Capitals, with Dmitry Orlov scoring twice on 3 shots. Martin Necas added his 6th goal of the season and picked up two assists, bringing his total to 12 assists this year. Andrei Svechnikov netted his 6th goal on an empty net with 9 seconds left in the game.

After Orlov’s first goal, the Hurricanes were held scoreless until Martin Necas tied the game 2-2 in the second period. Orlov’s second goal followed, and Carolina added a 4th goal on Svechnikov’s empty-netter.

Sabres Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense managed just one goal in their 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, with Alex Tuch netting his 5th of the season on a shorthanded play. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but came up empty on power plays.

Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and failed to score in the second and third periods after Tuch’s goal at 8:21 in the first.

Carolina Team Defense

Defensively, the Hurricanes gave up the first two goals of the game, but they tightened up after that, not allowing another goal. Pyotr Kochetkov finished with 19 saves and a 90.5% save percentage, while the defense added 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

Buffalo Team Defense

Buffalo’s defense had a strong first and third period, allowing no goals in either, but they gave up two in the second, both on the power play. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the Sabres’ defense contributed 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Hurricanes vs Sabres Trends

• Through their last three road games, Carolina has an puck line record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Buffalo has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 4. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-2.
• Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Sabres have a straight up record of 4-6. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 5-5.
• The last ten games that Carolina was favored, they have an puck line mark of 4-6 while going 5-5 straight up.

Hurricanes vs Sabres Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sabres to defeat the Hurricanes while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +157, I’m placing a wager on the Sabres to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Sabres winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Sabres straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to 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.