Squaring off for the final time this season, the Buffalo Sabres and the Vegas Golden Knights meet at T-Mobile Arena in an East-West showdown. The action gets started at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 16, and fans at home can view it live on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Vegas Golden Knights Odds
Vegas enters the matchup as the obvious favorite with a -185 moneyline. The line for Buffalo sits at +160, and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -120 under, +100 over.
Buffalo is 3-2 straight up (SU) and has netted 1.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season SU winning percentage is a welcomed improvement over the 25-57 record from last year’s regular season campaign. Three of its games have gone under the total, while two have gone over and none have pushed.
Buffalo has converted on 22.2 percent of its power play opportunities so far. That’s a noticeable improvement from last season, when it was ranked 20th in the league by converting on 19.1 percent of its extra-man advantages. Its penalty kill has weakened slightly since last year, however, as the team has gone from successfully defending 77.9 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 22nd overall last year) to 76.9 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, Buffalo has been whistled for penalties 3.6 times per game in the 2018-19 season, a number that’s pretty close to last year’s 3.4 penalties per game. After serving an average of 8.2 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 7.8 minutes per matchup this year.
Averaging 31.0 saves per game with a .912 save percentage, Carter Hutton (2-2) has been the best option in goal for Buffalo this year. If head coach Phil Housley chooses to rest him, however, Buffalo could turn to Linus Ullmark (1-0), who has a .1,000 save percentage and 0.00 goals against average this year.
Jack Eichel and Conor Sheary will both lead the way for the visiting Sabres. Eichel (five points) has tallied three goals and two assists this season while Sheary has three goals and one assist to his credit through the early phase of the regular season.
Vegas is 2-4 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.3 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Three of its outings have gone over the total, while another three have gone under and none have pushed.
Vegas has scored on 0.0 percent of its extra-man advantages this year after converting on 21.0 percent (ranked 15th in league) last season. It has killed off a remarkable 73.3 percent of its penalties, a few points lower than the 81.3 percent the team posted a year ago (when it was ranked ninth in the NHL).
Vegas players have been penalized only 2.8 times per game this season, a number that’s improved from the 3.6 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 7.9 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for 6.2 minutes per matchup this year.
Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 20.6 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for Vegas. Fleury has two wins and three losses to his name and has maintained a mediocre 3.08 goals against average and a poor .880 save percentage this season.
Jonathan Marchessault (two goals, four assists) will pace the offensive counter for the Golden Knights.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Vegas Golden Knights Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Golden Knights, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone under in three of Vegas’ last five games.
The Sabres are 0-0 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Golden Knights are 0-2 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.
After going 4-3 in games decided by a shootout last year, Vegas is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. Buffalo went 1-2 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
Vegas ranked second last year with 10.7 takeaways per game, but the team appears to be applying less pressure on opposing offenses to begin this season. It’s up to a ranking of 24th in the league with 5.5 takeaways per contest.
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