The Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche will both look to extend their winning ways when they square off in their mid-week matchup live from the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night. With Colorado looking to lock down one of the top seeds out west and Buffalo desperate to stay in the playoff race in the East, let’s find out which team is offering the best value against their NHL Odds for the Sabres vs Avalanche.
Sabres vs Avalanche 2020 NHL Game Preview & Betting Odds
- When: Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 8:00 PM ET
- Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
- TV: Sportsnet, TVA, NBCS
- NHL Odds: Buffalo +175/Colorado -210 / Total: 6
Why Bet On Buffalo
The Sabres have won two straight and come into this affair off a hard-fought 2-1 win over Winnipeg on Sunday.
Kyle Okposo lit the lamp twice to lift Buffalo to victory. Buffalo has won five of six as they seek their first playoff berth since 2011. The club acquired forwards Wayne Simmonds and Dominik Kahun at the trade deadline and the pair are expected to make their debuts in this contest. Buffalo averages 2.9 goals per game (20th) while allowing 3.1 per contest defensively (20th). The Sabres have gone 10-15-4 on the road this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.94
- Shots: 29.13
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.11
- Goals: Edmonton Oilers
- Shots: 3.11
- PP/PK Percentage: 31.08
Buffalo Sabres Betting Trends
- Sabres are 5-0 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sabres are 4-0 in their last 4 games as an underdog.
- Sabres are 6-1 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Sabres are 5-1 in their last 6 overall.
- Sabres are 16-35 in their last 51 Wednesday games.
- Sabres are 2-5 in their last 7 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sabres are 26-71 in their last 97 vs. Central.
Why Bet On Colorado
The Avalanche have won three straight including a 2-1 shootout win over Los Angeles on Saturday. Ryan Graves tied the game at one with just over three minutes to go in the second period and the Avs were lifted to victory as Joonas Donskoi was the lone goal scorer in six attempts in the shootout. Despite dealing with a bunch of injuries to several of their top scorers, Colorado has managed to go a stellar 11-3-1 in its last 15 games by concentrating on other aspects of the game besides scoring.
“Just with all the guys we have out of the lineup, we have to check hard,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told the media after Saturday’s 2-1 shootout victory at Los Angeles. “I just don’t see us putting up a lot of goals with a bunch of the key guys missing. Stick with it, be a resilient team, and that’s something we’re going to need here down the stretch.”
Colorado averages a healthy 3.5 goals per game to rank fifth in scoring while limiting the opposition to 2.7 goals per game defensively to rank sixth in goals allowed. The Avalanche have gone 16-9-5 at home this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.48
- Shots: 32.67
- PP/PK Percentage: 18.48
- Goals: Vegas Golden Knights
- Shots: 2.72
- PP/PK Percentage: 31.44
Colorado Avalanche Betting Trends
- Avalanche are 7-0 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Avalanche are 5-0 in their last 5 Wednesday games.
- Avalanche are 7-1 in their last 8 vs. Atlantic.
- Avalanche are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a win.
- Avalanche are 8-2 in their last 10 games as a favorite.
- Avalanche are 11-4 in their last 15 overall.
- Avalanche are 5-2 in their last 7 games as a home favorite.
Sabres vs Avalanche Expert Analysis and Prediction
Buffalo might be desperate and the Sabres might be on a nice roll right now, but Colorado is the better team by far at both ends of the ice and I expect the Avs to take care of business at home because of those two facts. The Sabres are an awful 14-43 in their last 57 road games while Colorado has gone 8-2 in their last 10 games as a favorite and 5-2 in their last 7 games as a home favorite. Not only that, but Buffalo is also an uninspiring 1-7 in the last 8 road dates against Colorado while the favorite in this series has gone a perfect 4-0 in the last 4 meetings. I wouldn’t over-think this one NHL betting buffs, Colorado will get the solid win to improve their chances of getting the top seed in the Western Conference.
Pick: Colorado 3 Buffalo 2
