Devils vs. Sabres Prediction and Odds: New Jersey Will End It's Slump Tonight

The Devils and Sabres will face-off in Wednesday night NHL action.
The Devils and Sabres will face-off in Wednesday night NHL action. / Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

Fewer teams in the NHL have been slumping as much as the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils have as of late, but one of them can get back on track tonight as they're set to face each other at the KeyBank Center.

The Devils went 1-8-1 in their last 10 games before the holiday break, while the Sabres went 2-5-3. They are both sitting in the basement of their respective divisions, and are hoping for any kind of positive momentum as we enter the new calendar year.

Let's take a look at the odds for this Eastern Conference showdown courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Devils vs. Sabres Odds and Total

Moneyline:

  • Devils: -140
  • Sabres: +120

Puck line:

  • Devils: -1.5 (+175)
  • Sabres: +1.5 (-200)

Total:

  • 6 (Over -115/Under -105)

Devils vs. Sabres Betting Trends

  • The OVER is 4-1 in the Devils' last five games.
  • Devils are 0-6 in their last six road games.
  • Sabres are 1-8 in their last nine home games.
  • The UNDER is 5-1 in the Sabres' last six games.

Devils vs. Sabres Prediction and Pick

I would normally follow my rule of betting on the underdog when two garbage NHL teams face each other, but this game is going to be an exception to my rule. Despite the Devils' ugly record, a lot of their statistics are quite promising. They rank in the top half of the NHL in offensive high danger scoring chances, and they're seventh in high danger scoring chances allowed.

The cause of the majority of New Jersey's losses are due to its goaltending. The Devils rank 30th in the league in team save percentage, stopping on 89.03% of shots against. They should be able to at least get some competent goaltending tonight, as they face a Sabres team that only averaged 9.52 high danger chances per game which is the third lowest mark in the league.

The Devils hit a slump right before the holiday break, but they're still a much more talented team than the Sabres, and the odds reflect that fact.

Pick: Devils -140