The Detroit Red Wings (12-38-4) head to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo to clank swords with the Buffalo Sabres (23-23-7) in Thursday night (7 p.m. ET) Atlantic Division action. We analyze the Red Wings-Sabres odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Red Wings at Sabres: Projected starting goalies
Jonathan Bernier vs. Jonas Johansson
Bernier missed seven games last month due to a leg injury, but the 31-year-old is back now and playing well. Over his last 10 games, he has registered a .940 save percentage. On the season, Bernier has posted a 2.89 goals-against average and a .908 SV in 30 games. Thursday’s road tilt would mark his third straight start, and he has stopped 58 of 61 shots over his last two.
Johansson is expected to spell Carter Hutton (the current No. 1 with the ailing Linus Ullmark (leg) on the shelf), who was pulled Tuesday after allowing five goals on 18 shots. Johansson is an AHL call-up making his first career start. He was solid in stopping 13 of 14 over the back half of Hutton’s misstep against a high-scoring Colorado team.
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Red Wings at Sabres: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Buffalo 4, Detroit 1
Moneyline (ML)
The Sabres are a heavy favorite despite some recent struggles at home. But this is a club that went 7-2, averaging over 3.5 goals per game, in a nine-game stretch at home earlier this season (Nov. 29-Jan. 4). In final games of multi-game home stands, Buffalo is 5-1 straight-up and 5-1 against the puck line. The latter is where the Sabres side finds some value in this matchup.
WILL PASS ON BUFFALO -228.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Since Jan. 10, the Red Wings have piled up nine straight losses; seven of those have been by two goals or more. Included in that stretch is a 5-1 loss to these Sabres on Jan. 12. Figure on Detroit getting an angry and hungry Buffalo team coming off its 6-1 loss to the Avs. The Sabres have yielded six goals in a game six times this season; they are 5-1 over those ensuing bounce-back efforts.
WILL BACK THE BUFFALO -1.5 (+120) as a play with some value against a Detroit team perhaps not nearly as good as its 12-38-4 record.
Over/Under (O/U)
The under is: 13-3-1 in the Sabres’ last 17 games following a loss of three or more goals. It’s also 5-2 in Buffalo’s last seven against a team with a winning percentage below .400, 3-1 in Detroit’s last four games and 5-2 in the last seven series games held in Buffalo.
There are also some expected-goal figures that would back the under here. WILL MAKE A PLAY ON THE UNDER 5.5 (+105).
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