Two Atlantic Division clubs are set to collide later tonight, with the Tampa Bay Lightning playing host to the Buffalo Sabres.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Buffalo Sabres (+172) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-215) Total: 7 (O +100, U -122)The Buffalo Sabres are trying to get back in the playoff picture in a log-jammed Eastern Conference, while the Lightning have continued trucking along as one of the league’s top teams.
The Lightning enter this matchup as sizable favorites on the moneyline at -235, while the Sabres are priced at +190. This will be the third meeting between these clubs, as the Lightning have already picked up 6-5 and 5-3 wins in the season series. Entering this contest, the Sabres have posted a 5-4-1 record over their last ten games, while the Lightning are 6-2-2 over that same sample size.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Sabres are expected to start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, while the Lightning should counter with Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Sabres netminder has a 14-8-2 record with a .894 save percentage, while Vasilevskiy is 27-14-1 with a .919 save percentage. It’s pretty clear the Lightning should boast a sizable edge in goal tonight.
Tampa Bay has shown on multiple occasions that they have the recipe for defeating Buffalo. They’ve done so by multiple goals in one matchup, and since there’s no real value in the Lightning’s moneyline price, we’ll be happy to side with their plus-money puck line odds of +108.
Best Bet: Lightning Puck Line -1.5 (+108)
The Sabres and Lightning are two of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL. Buffalo scores at the third-highest clip in the league, while the Lightning are behind them in fourth. The big difference between the clubs is that the Sabres sit 25th in the league in goals allowed per game, while the Lightning are 12th. Over the Sabres’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals in four, while the Lightning have seen that in three. With the first two matchups going over the number, we’ll stick with that trend with a higher total set at seven.
Best Bet: Over seven (+100)
There are a lot of talented offensive players in this matchup tonight. One player that’s standing out for the Lightning is Brayden Point. He’s put together 61 points in 56 games, and we’re confident he will find the back of the net in this matchup. Take Point to score at +130.
Best Prop: Brayden Point to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+130)
