The Buffalo Sabres (29-25-8) visit the Colorado Avalanche (36-18-7) Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at the Pepsi Center. We analyze the Sabres-Avalanche odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Sabres at Avalanche: Projected starting goalies
Carter Hutton vs. Pavel Francouz
Hutton is 12-10-4 and owns a 3.19 goals against average and an .897 save percentage through 27 games. The 34-year-old has gone 5-1 with a .916 mark over his last six games. He stopped 41 of 43 pucks in his last start, a 5-2 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday.
Francouz, 16-5-3, has logged a 2.27 GAA and .927 SV% in 26 games. He has started five straight games for the Avs who haven’t played since Saturday. The 29-year-old Czechoslovakia native has registered a 1.67 GAA and .938 SV% in six February games (five starts). Francouz has stopped 73 of 75 shots (.973 SV) over his last three starts.
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Sabres at Avalanche: 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 at 8 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Colorado 4, Buffalo 1
Moneyline (ML)
Colorado is -228; Buffalo is +185. The Avs are 5-2-2 (+$436) when playing on three or more days rest. Despite leading the NHL in games won by three goals, Colorado has a .450 winning percentage in one-goal games.
The better risk/reward play here is on the puck line. AVOID.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Colorado has outshot foes in six of its last seven games and remains a solid risk-reward play on most nights despite being just mere percentage points short of the best record in the Western Conference. Buffalo is 6-2 over its last eight, but shooting and save percentages, and puck-possession indicators point to the Sabres having a bit of extra “puck luck” over this stretch.
The Avs have won a league-best 18 games by three goals or more. They’ve won another nine by two goals, and their combined 27 multi-goal wins is also an NHL high. The price here has a bit of value: Take COLORADO (-1.5 +120).
Over/Under (O/U)
The Under has prevailed in three straight Colorado games and in nine of the Avs’ last 10. However, Hutton’s last four starts for Buffalo have gone Over. But the public and the house are all over this one. SKIP the O/U 5.5 (Over -134, Under +110).
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