The New York Rangers (16-15-4) kick off a two-game set against the Buffalo Sabres (7-23-5) Thursday with a 7 p.m. ET puck drop at KeyBank Center. Below, we analyze the Rangers-Sabres odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Rangers picked up a 5-2 victory against the Washington Capitals Tuesday night behind G Igor Shesterkin. New York has won four of its past six games, while hitting the Over in four of its past five contests. That includes a 5-3 win March 22 in the most recent meeting with the Sabres at Madison Square Garden.
The Sabres finally snapped their franchise-worst 18-game losing skid with a 6-1 thumping of the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday. It was Buffalo’s first win since Feb. 23; the skid was the longest in the NHL in 17 years. The Sabres also snapped an ugly 0-9-2 drought on home ice while giving interim head coach Don Granato his first victory behind the bench.
Rangers at Sabres: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:30 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Rangers -250 (bet $250 to win $100) | Sabres +210 (bet $100 to win $210)
- Against the spread/ATS: Rangers -1.5 (+110) | Sabres +1.5 (-135)
- Over/Under: 6 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Rangers at Sabres: Projected starting goalies
Igor Shesterkin (8-8-1, 2.32 GAA, .925 SV%) vs. Linus Ullmark (6-5-3, 2.49 GAA, .920 SV%)
Shesterkin looks to carry his momentum into April. He went 4-1-0 with a 2.05 GAA and .941 SV% in five starts in March, including a 3-2 victory over the Sabres. He also topped the Sabres in Buffalo Jan. 28, with the Rangers winning 3-2 in overtime.
Ullmark backed the Sabres to their first victory in over a month, and he was also in the crease for that one. He missed a month due to a lower-body injury, but he is 1-1-1 with a 2.68 GAA and .923 SV% in three starts since returning from the injured reserve list.
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Rangers at Sabres: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Rangers 3, Sabres 2
Money line (ML)
The Rangers (-250) should be able to push the Sabres back into the loss column after Buffalo’s stunning 6-1 win Wednesday against Philadelphia; however, you can’t risk two times your potential return on the road team.
PASS.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The SABRES +1.5 (-135) are worth backing on home ice. No, really.
They finally snapped that ugly skid, and while I expected them to lose, three of the four meetings between New York and Buffalo this season were decided by one goal.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 6 (-115) is worth playing, as it cashed in three of the four meetings this season. While the Sabres lit the lamp 6 times Wednesday, they have still found the back of the net just 19 times across their past 10 games.
The Under is also 4-1 in the past five meetings, and 5-1 in the past six meetings in Buffalo.
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