The Buffalo Sabres (38-38-6) travel to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning (44-28-8) on Monday, April 15th. This game will be played at Amalie Arena in Tampa and televised on ESPN+. Both the Sabres and Lightning will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Sabres vs Lightning

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Heading into their final game of the season, the Buffalo Sabres are 12th in the Eastern Conference with 82 points. Their overall record is 38-38-6, and they are 10-15 in divisional games. On the road, the Sabres have gone 17-19-5 this season.

Over their last ten games, Buffalo is 5-5, and they have lost their last three games on the road. As the underdog this season, the Sabres have gone 20-27-5, and they have lost four straight games as the underdog.

Buffalo enters the game with a puck line record of 46-35 this season and has gone 7-3 against the puck line in their last ten games. So far, the Sabres have won 27 games by multiple goals, and their average scoring margin on the road is -.2 goals per game.

As the underdog, Buffalo’s puck line record is 34-17, and their average scoring differential when they are not favored is -.2 goals per contest. The Sabres have gone 3-0 against the puck line in their last three games and 6-4 in their last ten road games.

Following a 3-2 loss on the road to the Panthers, the Sabres are eager to bounce back. In the first period on offense, the Sabres managed to score two times, but that turned out to be the only scoring they could muster for the entire game. Of Buffalo’s two goals, one came while in power play. They ended the game with 29 shots on goal and had 13 giveaways.

Buffalo went into the game as the underdogs, but they still managed to cover the puck line despite the loss. Combining for 5 goals, the game finished below the over/under line of 5.5.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

At home this season, Tampa Bay has gone 24-10-5, and they are 30-16-3 when favored. In their last ten games, the Lightning have gone 6-4, and they are 44-28-8 overall, putting them in 4th place in the Atlantic Division and 6th in the Eastern Conference.

For the year, Tampa Bay has gone 11-13 against other teams in the Atlantic Division and 25-23 against Eastern Conference opponents. Over their last five games, the Lightning have gone 2-3, and they have gone 1-2 in their last three contests.

When favored, the Lightning have a puck line record of 22-27, including going 5-5 in their last ten games. Overall, Tampa Bay has gone 42-38 against the puck line, with 33 of their wins coming by multiple goals.

At home, the Lightning have a puck line record of 22-17 this season, and their average scoring margin is +.8 goals per game. In their last ten games at home, Tampa Bay’s puck line record is 5-5, and they have gone 20-11 against the puck line as the underdog.

After suffering a 4-2 loss on the road to the Capitals, the Lightning are looking to bounce back today. On offense, the Lightning scored two times in the first period, but that was all the scoring they could come up with for the game. All two goals came at even strength. They finished with 34 shots on goal and had 2 turnovers.

Tampa Bay took a loss against the puck line, going into the game as the favorites with a -1.5-point advantage. The game concluded with 6 goals, resulting in a push on the over/under.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

In terms of their offensive performance, the Sabres are averaging 3 goals per game this season, putting them in the 22nd spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 14th in the league. The Sabres went 21-22 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 15-16.

This season, the Sabres’ have an over/under record of 31-46-4. Throughout the season, they have played 41 games that did not exceed the 6 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 6 goals per game.

Lightning Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Lightning are scoring an 3.5 goals per game this season, ranking 4th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 22nd in the league. So far this year, the Lightning are 25-14 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 18-11 in games with fewer shots on goal.

The Lightning come in with an over/under record of 38-37-5. Over the season, there have been 40 games that have surpassed the 6 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.8 goals per game.

Buffalo Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Sabres head into the game ranked 21st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 29.1 shots per game against Buffalo. So far, they are 13th in shutouts, achieving 5 shutouts.

Tampa Bay Team Defense

Defensively, the Lightning come into the season ranked 24th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.3 shots per game against Tampa Bay. For the season, they are ranked 16th in shutouts, coming in with 4 shutouts.

Sabres vs Lightning Trends

• Buffalo has a 1-4 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-2.
• In their last ten games at home, the Lightning have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 3 goals per game in this stretch.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Lightning have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 6-4.
• The Sabres have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.

Sabres vs Lightning Prediction

To those searching for a pure moneyline wager, the Lightning is the clear pick. Still, with a payout of -171, it’s worth thinking about including this bet in a parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Sabres to cover. Even if the Lightning secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Sabres should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 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.