Penguins vs Sabres Betting Preview: Buffalo Flexing Early

It isn’t too often that you’ll be impressed with a Buffalo Sabres score, but when you see an eight spot in the National Hockey League, it forces you to take notice. Buffalo is second in the NHL with 4.11 goals per game and fifth in team points with 99. That number indicates that every line has been an early season danger to start the year. This column is about winning NHL picks and parlays, but maybe Buffalo is a long-term investment option too.

Penguins Must Rebound After Tough Loss to Bruins

With seven minutes left in the second period, the Pittsburgh Penguins owned a 5-2 lead on the Atlantic Division leading Boston Bruins. Then Brad Marchand scored a power play goal to cut the lead to 5-3 heading into the final frame. His goal was a taste of what was to come as the B’s scored twice in the third and once in overtime on a goal by Hampus Lindholm to give the Bruins a win. The way things broke down is important.

A normal one goal loss wouldn’t be a big deal, but for a team that has not had a win in five straight games, a loss like this can be devastating. The mental aspect of a game is a powerful tool but often forgotten asset of the sports bettor. After a loss like that it’s tough to back the Pens. Casey DeSmith (0-2-1) is expected to get the start in net.

Let’s continue our Penguins vs Sabres betting preview digging into the Buffalo Sabres.

Buffalo Out to Prove They’re a Contender

The Buffalo Sabres have been the doormat for the Atlantic Division for years, but after an impressive 8-3 win against the Detroit Redwings on Halloween, it may not be too long before bettors are forced to take the Western New York early season juggernaut seriously.

There should be some reason for pause before going all-in on a Sabres futures bet. They still need to prove that they can beat the better teams in the league on a consistent basis.

Buffalo has scored 12 goals in their last two games but that has been against the Wings and Blackhawks. That was fresh off of managing just one two goals against Montreal and one against the Seattle Kraken.

The Sabers story is good for hockey, but as bettors should we step back and let this play out more or is there enough evidence to jump in with them now? Eric Comrie (3-0) is scheduled to start in net for the Sabres. Let’s conclude our Penguins vs Sabres betting preview by looking at how the public reacted to the opening number and our selection to give you an edge.

Bettors All-In with Sabres; Over

…making the Penguins a -125-road favorite.

It never fails. You can always tell which way the betting public will wager based on a recent game or losing streak. These two teams seem like ships passing in the night but the oddsmakers are still not buying in, making the Penguins a -125-road favorite.

Bettors are not buying in with 93% of the moneyline dollars coming in on the home plus money. The public is even more convinced that the play on the total is over (6.5) after the recent Sabres outburst and the Pens playing back-to-back nights.

We conclude our Penguins vs Sabres betting preview by suggesting that we’re going with the public on the total. Over tickets have cashed 14 of the Penguins last 18 games overall and 19 of 26 against the Eastern Conference.

Looking for more information about the NHL season? Here’s more!

• Islanders vs Hurricanes Matchup: Metro Division Clash in Raleigh on Friday
• NHL Central Division Preview: Who Has a Shot to Unseat the Defending Champs?
• Bruins vs Penguins Head to Head: Eastern Conference Foes Clash in Pittsburgh
• Ducks vs Sharks Betting Preview: Sharks Prey on Homesick Ducks
• Capitals vs Hurricanes Betting Preview: Metro Division Showdown on Monday Night