NHL Hockey Free Predictions: Sabres vs. Senators
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Team Records:
Buffalo: 44-26-10
Ottawa: 44-31-6
Tonight, Coming Soon
Sportsbook odds: Coming Soon
Sabres vs. Senators
Two of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference will do battle on Saturday night in a game that does not mean all that much to the home team, but could potentially be huge for the road team.
The Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators have been playing solid hockey of late but cannot afford to stumble the weekend before the playoffs start.
The Buffalo Sabres could potentially finish as the second seed in the Eastern Conference but a 3-1 loss to Boston on Thursday night figures to keep them where they are right now – in third place.
Buffalo is 6-4 in their last 10 games but has been playing short handed over that span.
The Sabres have been without leading scorer Tim Connolly for an extended period of time and there is no timetable for his return. Thomas Vanek, the team’s fourth leading scorer has also been sidelined for the Sabres but is expected to return to action on Saturday night – good news for the slightly offensively starved Sabres. In the absence of these two, Derek Roy has stepped up and contributed six goals and three assist in his last seven games.
Rookie defenseman Tyler Ennis has also been solid offensively with seven points in his last seven games.
The Sabres might opt to rest a few of their regulars as they did on Thursday night. Ryan Miller was held out of action as well as a couple of other roster players. Coach Lindey Ruff isn’t tipping his hat, but the assumption is that he will give a few more of his players the night off.
The Ottawa Senators have been the streakiest team in the NHL this season – you never know what you are gonna get. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and they seem to be gelling right before the playoffs.
They have locked up the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and there is no way that they can move up or down in the standings in their last two games.
The Senators superstars are smoking right now. Daniel Alfredsson, who will be honoured in a pre game ceremony for playing his 1000th game has been solid, Jason Spezza has found his form tallying a mind boggling seven goals and twelve assists in his last eleven games and rookie defenseman Erik Karlsson has been a pleasant surprise garnering four goals and eight assists in his last eight games.
The Sens will likely be without Alex Kovalev on Saturday night but could be bolstered by the return of Milan Michalek who was the Sens goal scoring leader before being sidelined for nine games.
Saturday night’s game should be a very entertaining tilt between two teams that are playoff bound. Buffalo is 5-13 in their last 18 road games and is a miserable 7-24 in the last 24 meetings with the Senators. Expect Ottawa to play hard on Daniel Alfredsson Day and come up with a win.
NHL Betting Trends:
Buffalo is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Buffalo’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Buffalo is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Buffalo
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Buffalo’s last 7 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa’s last 5 games
Ottawa is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Pick: Ottawa Senators
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