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The Detroit Red Wings (10-13-4) take on the Buffalo Sabres (11-13-3) Monday. Puck drop from KeyBank Center is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Red Wings vs. Sabres odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Tied 1-1
The Wings haven’t gotten off the ground much of late as they’ve lost 5 in a row. The latest was a 2-1 home loss as +171 underdogs to the Colorado Avalanche Saturday. LW Lucas Raymond scored his 10th goal for Detroit’s only tally. The Red Wings have dropped back-to-back 2-1 games, losing at the Ottawa Senators Thursday as +160 underdogs. Detroit hasn’t been favored in its last 9 games, going 3-4-2 with the Under going 6-3.
The Sabres have left an equally intrusive poo pile on the runway of late, losers of 6 straight. They dropped their Saturday game 5-2 as -114 home favorites to the Utah Hockey Club. RW Tage Thompson had no points and a single shot on goal after putting 3 in the net in the previous 2 games. Buffalo did win 3 in a row before its current 6-game slide. The Under is 5-3-1 in its last 9 games.
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Red Wings at Sabres odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NHL odds. Lines last updated at 3:56 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Red Wings +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Sabres -125 (bet $125 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Wings +1.5 (-225) | Sabres -1.5 (+180)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -120 | U: +100)
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Red Wings at Sabres projected goalies
Ville Husso (0-4-2, 3.39 GAA, .884 SV%) vs. James Reimer (1-3-0, 3.29 GAA, .890 SV%)
Husso’s numbers don’t look great, but he has been solid in his last 2 starts. He stopped 30 of 32 against Ottawa and 23 of 25 against Colorado in the consecutive 2-1 losses to playoff-caliber teams. He hasn’t faced Buffalo since 2022-23 when he stopped 30 of 36 in an overtime home loss.
Reimer hasn’t seen action since Nov. 30, when the Sabres fell 3-0 at the New York Islanders. The 36-year-old vet stopped 17 of 19 in that defeat. He has 2 starts since Halloween, going 1-1-0 with a 2.05 GAA and .923 SV%. Riemer, who played for the Red Wings last season, last faced Detroit in 2022-23 when he went 0-1-1 with a 4.57 GAA and .836 SV% in 2 starts with the San Jose Sharks.
Red Wings at Sabres picks and predictions
Prediction
Sabres 5, Red Wings 3
Moneyline
The Wings have won 4 of the last 6 head-to-head meetings dating back to December 2023. This season, the Wings won in their building 2-1 Nov. 2, and the Sabres won at home 5-3 Oct. 26. Red Wings C Dylan Larkin scored both goals Detroit’s win; Thompson had 2 goals in the Sabres’ victory.
I don’t love paying -125 for Buffalo when this game is more of a pick ’em. The Sabres are the correct side, though, and Reimer gives the Sabres the slight advantage in goal.
TAKE SABRES (-125).
Puck line/Against the spread
This feels like a Dylan Larkin kind of game. He hasn’t scored a goal in 6 games, and he has just 5 shots on goal (SOG) in the last 3. However, in the 2 games against Buffalo this season, he took 4 shots when he scored twice in the win and took 5 shots in the 5-3 loss. BET DYLAN LARKIN OVER 2.5 SHOTS ON GOAL (-155).
Over/Under
The Wings are 4-6 O/U in their last 10, and Buffalo is 4-5-1. When these teams meet, though, the Over is 7-3 in the last 10, dating back to 2022. The same can be said when they breathe in that Buffalo air as the scores have been 5-3, 7-3, 5-3, 6-3 and 8-3 in the last 5.
TAKE OVER 6 (-120).
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