The Buffalo Sabres will look to snap out of their recent funk in order to pull off the big upset over the New York Rangers when the longtime Eastern Conference rivals square off on Friday night. With the Rangers looking to make a move up the Metropolitan division standings and Buffalo looking to do the same in the Atlantic division, let’s find out which team is offering the best value against their NHL betting odds.
How to Bet Sabres vs Rangers NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info
Buffalo Sabres Defensive power rankings:
1. Rasmus Ristolainen 2. Rasmus Dahlin 3. The one strength coach who tries really hard at practice 4. Me 5. The ghost of Tim Horton N/A- the rest of the defensemen on the Sabres roster — Danny Vane (@vannydane) January 15, 2019
- Who: Buffalo Sabres (22-23-6-2) at New York Rangers (26-22-2-2)
- When: Friday February 7, 2020, 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- TV: MSG Buffalo, MSG, TVA
- Radio: Sabres | Rangers
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Lightning -1½ (Total:6½)
Why Bet on the Buffalo?
Buffalo has lost two straight and five of their last six games overall, including a heartbreaking 4-3 shootout loss against Detroit on Thursday night. Jimmy Vesey, Scott Wilson and Evan Rodrigues all lit the lamp in the loss while goalie Jonas Johansson made 18 saves in his first career start in relief of starter, Carter Hutton, who is expected back on the ice for this contest. The Sabres average of 2.8 goals per game (21st) while allowing 3.1 goals per game defensively (21st).
Buffalo Sabres 2020 NHL Betting Trends and Stats Betting Trends
- Buffalo are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games.
- Buffalo are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games against NY Rangers.
- Buffalo are 4-15 SU in their last 19 games on the road.
- Buffalo are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers.
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Buffalo’s last 10 games against an opponent in the Metropolitan division.
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Buffalo’s last 6 games played in February.
Team Stats
Offense
- Goals: 2.85
- Shots: 29.24
- PP/PK Percentage: 18.87
Defense
- Goals: 2.73
- Shots: 29.87
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.86
Why Bet on the New York?
The Rangers have won three of their last four and come into this contest off a thrilling 5-3 win over Toronto on Wednesday. New York got goals from Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Greg McKegg in the win with Kreider lighting the lamp for the seventh time in his last 10 games, all after returning from an injury that cost him one game.
“Kreider coming back from a scary incident and missing one game, I give him a lot of credit for stepping in and picking up really where he left off,” Rangers coach David Quinn told reporters. “He didn’t have any rust, no apprehension on his part.’
New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves in the loss. The Rangers average 3.3 goals per game to rank eighth in scoring while allowing 3.2 goals per game defensively (23rd).
New York Rangers 2020 NHL Betting Trends and Stats Betting Trends
- The total has gone OVER in 13 of NY Rangers’ last 20 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of NY Rangers’ last 12 games at home.
- NY Rangers are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against Buffalo.
- NY Rangers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games against an opponent in the East conference.
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Rangers’ last 6 games played in February.
Team Stats
Offense
- Goals: 3.29
- Shots: 30.60
- PP/PK Percentage: 23.12
Defense
- Goals: 3.25
- Shots: 33.88
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.86
Sabres vs Rangers Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
Not only are the Sabres mired in a bad rut right now, but Buffalo has also gone a winless 0-4 in the last 4 road dates against New York while going a pitiful 6-20 in the last 26 meetings against the Rangers overall. The Favorite in this rivalry has gone 35-17 in the last 52 meetings while the home team is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings. With Buffalo ranking in the bottom third at both ends of the ice, I’ve got New York for the narrow one-goal win at home in this affair.
Pick: NY Rangers 4 Buffalo 3
