The Buffalo Sabres (0-1-0) play host to the Washington Capitals (1-0-0) in the second half of their season-opening back-to-back Friday. Puck drop at KeyBank Center will be at 7 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Capitals-Sabres NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
The Capitals opened the 2021 NHL season with a 6-4 victory Thursday. Ten different players notched a goal.
Capitals at Sabres: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:14 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Capitals -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Sabres +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
- Against the spread/ATS: Capitals -1.5 (+195) | Sabres +1.5 (-250)
- Over/Under: 6 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Capitals at Sabres: Projected starting goalies
Ilya Samsonov (1-0-0, .846 SV%, 4.00 GAA) vs. Linus Ullmark (2019-20 stats: 17-14-3, .915 SV%, 2.69 GAA)
Samsonov figures to get the bulk of the starts for the Capitals this season, his second in the NHL. He went 16-6-2 with a .913 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average while backing up Braden Holtby (now with the Vancouver Canucks) in his 2019-20 rookie season. He stopped 22 of 26 shots Thursday.
Ullmark should draw in to replace Carter Hutton, who allowed five goals on 27 shots Thursday. Ullmark enters his sixth season with the Sabres with a career save percentage of .911 and a 2.81 GAA.
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Capitals at Sabres: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Capitals 5, Sabres 2
Money line (ML)
The CAPITALS (-135) come at a fine price to complete the back-to-back sweep of the Sabres. Buffalo is expected to make a major stride forward this season, but the early schedule isn’t doing any favors. The Sabres will next head on the road for two games against the Philadelphia Flyers and another back-to-back against the Capitals in Washington, D.C.
Washington outshot Buffalo 23-17 through two periods and was up 4-2 after 40 minutes Thursday. The Sabres had pulled within one, but the Caps got a late empty-netter from RW Garnet Hathaway to seal the two-goal win.
Against the spread (ATS)
Get better value with the CAPITALS -1.5 (+195) by backing them to win by at least 2 goals. It took an empty-netter to do so Thursday, but the game was never really in question and Buffalo never held a lead.
We should expect a stronger performance from Samsonov if he does start once again. The Sabres are more likely to pivot to the lesser half of their goaltending tandem.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the OVER 6 (-110). The Capitals and Sabres hit this number within the first 39 minutes Thursday and even sloppier play should be expected in the second of back-to-back games.
The Sabres hadn’t played since March 9 before Thursday and playing two nights in a row right off the start of the season will be a big test.
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