You won’t find many teams in the NHL having a better January than the Buffalo Sabres, set to visit the Minnesota Wild tonight.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Buffalo Sabres (+146) vs. Minnesota Wild (-178) Total: 6.5 (O-115, U-105)With the talented young core that the Buffalo Sabres boast, it was only a matter of time before they started to put things together and consistently generate positive results in the standings. They’ve stuck with letting their youngsters make mistakes and learn on the job, and that’s ultimately paid off for them as the season has continued. Entering this matchup tonight, the Sabres have won five straight games and own a 6-3-1 record over their past ten, while the Wild are sitting at 4-4-2 over that same sample size.
This will be the second meeting between these clubs this month, which initially saw the Sabres pick up a 6-5 victory. Buffalo has no issue scoring goals which is its biggest asset, while the Wild are a stingy defensive squad, even if that didn’t show up in the original matchup.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visiting Sabres are expected to start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, while the Wild have confirmed that Marc-Andre Fleury will be between the pipes. The Sabres netminder has posted a 13-5-1 record, paired with a .897 save percentage, while the Wild veteran is listed at 15-10-3, along with a .904 save percentage.
It’s an interesting line for this contest because it’s hard to make a case that the Wild should be -178 favorites here. The Sabres are playing great hockey at the moment, and Minnesota has had some bumpy ups and downs, which should deter bettors from siding with the home team. As a result, the plus-money value Buffalo has to offer here +146 is the route bettors should likely lean in here.
Best Bet: Sabres moneyline (+146)
Even though these teams combined for eleven goals earlier this month, that doesn’t automatically mean we’ll see another matchup highlighted by plenty of goals. The total for this matchup is currently set at 6.5, with the over priced at -115, while the under sits at -105. Buffalo boasts the highest-scoring offense in the NHL, while the Wild sit eleventh in goals allowed per game, meaning something will have to give tonight. Over the Sabres past five games, two have seen seven or more goals scored; the same goes for the Wild. We like Buffalo to come out on top here, though, and typically, when they do, it’s because they’ve scored four or more goals. As a result, there’s value here in siding with the over 6.5 at -115.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)
With the top offense in the NHL, plenty of players warrant consideration to be targeted on the Buffalo side of the equation tonight. One player that’s stood out of late is Victor Olofsson, who has one of the best releases in the NHL and has also scored at a high clip. The Sabres winger has tallied five goals over his past five games to lead the club and also scored twice when the teams faced off to begin January. Olofsson is currently listed at +240 to light the lamp tonight, and there’s way too much value in that number to ignore.
Best Prop: Victor Olofsson to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+240)
