Red Wings vs. Sabres Prediction and Odds: Back the Home Underdog in Afternoon Showdown
It's not just the NBA that has a jam-packed slate for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the NHL also has a full schedule of action.
The day begins with an Atlantic Division matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and the Buffalo Sabres. It will serve as the second game of a home-and-home. The Red Wings shutout the Sabres 4-0 at home on Saturday, and now the two teams will head back to Buffalo for the second leg.
Let's take a look at the odds via WynnBET for the first NHL matchup of the day.
Red Wings vs. Sabres Odds and Total
Moneyline:
- Red Wings -135
- Sabres +115
Puck line:
- Red Wings -1.5 (+170)
- Sabres +1.5 (-215)
Total:
- 5.5 (Over -130/Under +105)
Red Wings vs. Sabres Betting Trends
- The UNDER is 4-1 in the Red Wings' last five games.
- Red Wings are 0-6 in their last six road games.
- Red Wings are 4-1 in their last five games vs. Sabres.
- The UNDER is 9-4 in the Sabres' last 13 games.
- Sabres are 0-7 in their last seven home games.
Red Wings vs. Sabres Prediction and Pick
Don't let the difference in records fool you, these teams are equally as bad. In fact, the Sabres are better than the Red Wings in a few key analytical areas. For example, they're 27th in CORSI% compared to Detroit at 29th. They're also 20th in high danger scoring chances against compared to the Red Wings, who rank second last in the NHL at 31st.
To further prove my point, the Red Wings have an expected goals per 60 minutes mark of 2.67, while the Sabres are are 2.66. Then the Sabres are only 0.01 better than the Red Wings in expected goals against per 60 minutes, at 3.12 compared to 3.13.
When equally bad teams play against each other, and the home team is set as the underdog, the bet becomes a no-brainer.