The Montreal Canadiens (28-26-5) travel to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (24-28-5) on Saturday, March 1st. This game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo and televised on ESPN+. Both the Canadiens and Sabres will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Sabres

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal’s record fell to 28-26-5 after a 3-1 loss to the Penguins. The Canadiens, who were underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

The Penguins scored the first two goals before Christian Dvorak got Montreal on the board at 14:28 in the third period. Pittsburgh added an empty-netter to secure the win.

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo’s 2-1 loss to the Red Wings dropped them to 24-28-5 this season. The Sabres took the lead with a short-handed goal in the first period, but Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second.

The total line was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. Buffalo, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. All of the Sabres’ 1 goal came from Alex Tuch, who scored at 11:39 in the first period.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, Montreal’s offense struggled, managing just one goal in a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season, which came 5:32 into the third period. The Canadiens took 26 shots on goal but were unable to convert on any of their 20 offensive giveaways.

Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his 7th assist on Dvorak’s goal. The Canadiens were held scoreless through the first two periods before finally getting on the board in the third.

Sabres Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense managed just one goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch scoring his 5th of the season on a shorthanded effort at 8:21 in the first period. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but were unable to find the net again, and they recorded 13 giveaways.

None of Buffalo’s goals came on the power play, and Tuch’s goal was unassisted. The Sabres were held scoreless in the second and third periods after taking an early 1-0 lead.

Montreal Team Defense

The Canadiens’ defense gave up the first two goals of the game, with both coming from Sidney Crosby. The first was at 15:57 in the first period, and the second at 1:20 in the second. They also allowed an empty-netter with just 45 seconds left in the third. Sam Montembeault recorded 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense finished with 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Buffalo Team Defense

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

Canadiens vs Sabres Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, Montreal has an puck line mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 3 goals per game.
• When looking at their past ten home matchups, Buffalo has an puck line record of 6-4 while averaging 4 per game. The team went 8-2 overall in these games.
• The Sabres have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 3-2 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
• Through their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Canadiens have a good straight up record, but their puck line mark is just 0-3.

Canadiens vs Sabres Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Canadiens to secure a victory over the Sabres on the road. With the moneyline currently set at +126, I’m locking in my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Canadiens winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Canadiens 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 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing 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.