The Buffalo Sabres (35-36-6) travel to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets (35-33-9) on Thursday, April 10th. This game will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus and televised on ESPN+. Both the Sabres and Blue Jackets will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Sabres vs Blue Jackets

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

With a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres dropped to 35-36-6 for the season. Buffalo took an early lead with a short-handed goal from Alex Tuch, but Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second period.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. As underdogs on the puck line, Buffalo failed to cover.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus dropped to 35-33-9 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 9 goals easily surpassed that mark. Columbus, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense was held to just one goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch scored his 5th goal of the season, coming on a shorthanded opportunity 8:21 into the first period. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but were unable to find the net again.

Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and didn’t register any assists in the game. They were shut out in the second and third periods, after Tuch’s early goal.

Blue Jackets Offense Breakdown

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal in their 7-2 loss to the Capitals but only found the net twice. Damon Severson scored his fourth goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his second. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second period.

Columbus had 13 giveaways and finished with three assists. Adam Fantilli picked up his fourth assist on Severson’s goal, and Sean Monahan now has five assists this season, earning one on Labanc’s goal.

Buffalo Team Defense

Buffalo’s defense had a strong first period, but they gave up two power-play goals in the second, leading to a 2-1 loss to Detroit. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the Sabres’ defense added 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Columbus Team Defense

Columbus’ defense struggled in their last game, giving up 7 goals on 22 shots from Washington. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but posted a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets’ defense had 10 takeaways and 17 hits but allowed the first five goals of the game, including one just 56 seconds into the first period and another at 1:26 in the 3rd.

Sabres vs Blue Jackets Trends

• Across their last three road contests, Buffalo has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 5 goals per game.
• Columbus has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 5 goals per game while allowing 4. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
• Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Columbus has an puck line mark of 2-3 while going 1-4 straight up.
• Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Sabres have a straight up record of 6-4. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 4-6.

Sabres vs Blue Jackets Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sabres to defeat the Blue Jackets while playing on the road. Given the current moneyline odds at +117, 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.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering 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.