Stars Host Sabres With the Top Seed in Sight
Sabres vs Stars Betting: Dallas is the -225 Favorite
The Dallas Stars will look to keep riding a wave of momentum into the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they host the Buffalo Sabres. Dallas is a -1.5 (+110) favorite on the puck line and -225 on the moneyline. Buffalo is +1.5 (-130) on the spread and +185 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 6 with a slight edge to the Over at -120. Bettors can get the Under at even odds (+100).
Read on as we break down both teams and assess the Sabres vs Stars betting odds in our NHL game preview.
Sabres vs Stars 
Records: Buffalo Sabres (37-36-5), Dallas Stars (49-20-9)
Day/Time:
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas
Streaming: MSG-Buffalo, ESPN+
Betting Trends
The Buffalo Sabres are 43-35 against the puck line, including 23-15 away from home. A majority of Buffalo’s games have trended toward the under, as the Sabres are 31-44-3 against the over/under. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are 35-43 ATS, including just 13-24 at home. As for the over/under, Dallas is 42-35-1.
Remember these trends when assessing the Sabres vs Stars betting odds.
Down and Almost Out
Buffalo is technically still alive for the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, its chances are hanging by a thread. With four regular-season games remaining, the Sabres are five points behind Detroit and Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot. Complicating matters, three other teams stand between them for the final spot in the East. Hence, Buffalo has already been taken off the board for NHL playoff odds.
The Sabres lost 3-1 to Detroit on Sunday, dropping them to 5-5 over the last ten games on the scoreboard. Three of their final four games are on the road, where they are 17-17-4 and 23-15 ATS.
Offensive production — or lack thereof — remains an issue. The Sabres rank 20th in the NHL in scoring (2.97 goals/game) and 26th in power-play percentage (16.7), with Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch tied for the team lead with 57 points. Meanwhile, Tage Thompson has a team-high 29 goals.
As such, few teams have been a better bet against the projected total. Buffalo has gone under the total in 44 of its 78 games for a rate of 56.4%. That’s important to remember when analyzing Sabres vs Stars betting odds.
Stars Shining Bright Out West
Dallas is closing in on the top seed in the Western Conference, holding a three-point lead on Vancouver with four regular-season games remaining. The Stars’ 107 points are tied with Boston for the second-most in the NHL behind the East-leading Rangers (110).
Oddsmakers are bullish on the Stars, pricing them +450 to win the West and +900 to win the Stanley Cup, one of six teams with better than 10/1 championship odds.
The Stars have won nine of their last 10 games, including a 7-4 victory over Colorado on Sunday. Their final four games are all at home, where they are 23-10-4 but, strangely just 13-24 ATS.
Dallas has one of the league’s most proficient offenses, ranking second in scoring (3.68 goals/game) and fifth in power-play percentage (24.8). The Stars are also ninth on the penalty kill (81.3). Jason Robertson is the Stars’ top scorer with 77 points (27 goals, 50 assists), ahead of four others with 64+ points.
The Stars have fared far better than Buffalo against the over/under, going 42-35-1. However, recent trends (1-4 in last five games) show them going in the opposite direction.
Handicapping the Game
Dallas won the only other meeting between these teams this season, 2-1 on Feb. 6. Dallas has gotten only stronger since then, going 18-7-3 to climb atop the West.
The Stars have been particularly impressive lately, winning nine of their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Sabres keep fading.
As such, few NHL teams feel like a safer bet on Tuesday’s slate than the Stars, especially given their chase for the No. 1 seed.
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