The Buffalo Sabres square off against a tough Toronto Maple Leafs team tonight at KeyBank Center. Can they overcome their arch rival?
When things looked hopeless this time last season, the Buffalo Sabres gave us a little excitement given the way they took it to the Leafs in March and April, winning three straight against their rival. The two teams then faced off back in November, but the Leafs won the contest handedly. So are the Sabres behind the eight-ball tonight?
It sure seems like it, as despite winning two straight, the Blue and Gold have continued to look sloppy. They allowed three straight goals in just over seven minutes in their win against the Anaheim Ducks, and they never looked incredibly in sync on Saturday night against San Jose.
So can they steal one from the Leafs tonight? Let’s look at the odds and make a prediction.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Maple Leafs Odds – Game 55
Per Fan Duel, the Buffalo Sabres are +1.5 underdogs at home against the Maple Leafs. The Over/Under is 7, and the Sabres moneyline is +146. The Maple Leafs moneyline is -178.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Maple Leafs Prediction – Game 55
The Sabres have shown us before that they can’t just beat the Maple Leafs; they can crush them. But with the team struggling lately in so many facets of the game, it’s hard to envision, at this point, the Sabres pulling too far ahead, let alone winning this thing.
If they take more shots on net, their chances increase. But they also need to play better in the defensive zone. This team has been caught out of position on several instances and they allowed at least three breakaway attempts last Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.
If the same thing happens against Toronto, chalk this one up as a loss. The Maple Leafs are too good of a hockey team, and you can’t hand them opportunities. Until the Sabres learn to minimize that aspect of their game, I can’t pick them to win against a team like Toronto.
(Game odds update periodically and are subject to change)
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