PublishedJanuary 15, 2024,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:January 15, 2024 , ,

NHL: San Jose Sharks vs. Buffalo Sabres Prediction 1/15/2024

The San Jose Sharks (10-30-3) travel to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (18-21-4) on Monday, January 15th. This game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo and televised on NBCS. Both the Sharks and Sabres will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 12:00 ET.

San Jose Sharks vs Buffalo Sabres

The San Jose Sharks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

On the season, the Sharks have gone 10-30-3, putting them in 16th place in the Western Conference and 8th place in the Pacific Division. In their last 10 games, they have gone just 1-9 and have lost four straight games. In games against other Western Conference opponents, San Jose has gone 4-18.

When playing on the road this season, the Sharks have gone 4-18-1. As the underdog, they have gone 10-30-3 on the year and have lost their last two games.

San Jose comes in with an average scoring margin of -2.1 goals per game, and they have 26 losses by more than one goal. So far, the Sharks have gone 17-26 against the puck line as the underdog, and their average scoring differential on the road is -2.3 goals per game.

Overall, the Sharks have gone 17-26 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin is -2.1 goals per game. San Jose has gone 8-15 against the puck line on the road, and they have won two straight games against the puck line as the underdog.

In their most recent game, the Sharks fell to the Senators on the road by a score of 5-4. Throughout the game against the Senators, Sharks’ offense managed to score in every single period. All four goals came at even strength. They finished with 18 shots on goal and had 4 turnovers.

Despite the loss, San Jose did cover the puck line, as they went into the game as the underdog. The over/under line going into the game was 6.5 goals, which the teams surpassed with their combined 9 goals.

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo comes into tonight’s game with a record of 18-21-4 and are currently in 7th place in the Atlantic Division. In their last ten games, the Sabres have gone 5-5 and have gone 9-11-1 at home this season.

Against Eastern Conference opponents, Buffalo has gone 13-17 and have been favored in 15 of their 43 games this season.

Buffalo has a puck line record of 22-21 this season, including going 4-11 vs. the puck line when favored. Overall, the Sabres have 13 wins by multiple goals compared to 15 losses by more than one goal.

So far, Buffalo has an average scoring margin of -.4 goals per game, and their average scoring differential at home is also -.4 goals per contest. The Sabres’ puck line record at home is 8-13, and they have won two straight games vs. the puck line.

The Sabres are looking to bounce back from a 1-0 loss at home to the Canucks. Facing the Vancouver defense, the Sabres were shutout. The Sabres’ offense finished with 6 giveaways and attempted 26 shots on goal during the game.

Despite the loss, Buffalo did cover the puck line, as they went into the game as the underdog. With a combined total of 1 goal, the game concluded below the over/under line of 6.5.

San Jose Offense BreakdownSan Jose Sharks

Offensively, the Sharks come into the game at 2 goals per contest placing 32nd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 32nd position in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Sharks offense is 24th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 29th in the NHL.

The Sharks’ over/under record this season is 17-23-3. For the season, they have had 26 games failing to surpass this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging 6.2 goals per game.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Sabres are scoring an 3 goals per game this season, ranking 19th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 10th in the league. The Buffalo offense is ranked 29th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 19th in the NHL.

The Sabres come in with an over/under record of 19-23-1. Over the course of the season, they have had 24 games failing to surpass the 6.5 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 6.3 per game.

San Jose Team Defense

The Sharks’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 25th in takeaways and an average of 5.9 takeaways per contest. They hold 1st place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.9 goals given up per game.

Buffalo Team Defense

Defensively, the Sabres are currently 23rd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 29.4 shots per game against Buffalo. They also are 27th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Sharks vs Sabres Trends

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

Sharks vs Sabres Predictionbuffalo sabres

For those seeking a straight moneyline bet, the Sabres are the top choice. Nonetheless, with a payout of -263, you might want to use this bet as a part of a parlay to get better odds.

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