A game that features two teams that’ve started the season off strongly, the Buffalo Sabres and the Winnipeg Jets clash at Bell MTS Place. This East-West matchup gets started at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, November 16 and it can be viewed live on The Sports Network.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Winnipeg Jets Odds
Playing the role of sizable favorite will be Winnipeg (-220), while Buffalo is an underdog showing moneyline odds of +180 and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-125 for the over, +105 for the under).
The Jets are 11-6 straight up (SU) and have earned moneyline bettors 3.1 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked fourth in the league so far this season, is right in line with what the team produced during last year’s regular season (52-30). Of its 17 games this season, five have gone under the total, while five have gone over and three have pushed. So far this year, the team’s 8-3 SU at home.
Winnipeg currently has the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it has converted on 34.0 percent of their extra-man advantages this season. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 13th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.0 percent of all penalties.
Winnipeg, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.6 times per game overall this season, and 3.8 per game over its last five home outings. The team’s had to kill penalties for 9.8 minutes per game over its last five home outings.
With a .915 save percentage and 29.3 saves per game, Connor Hellebuyck (8-6-1) has been the top option in goal for the Jets this season. If they, however, choose to rest him, the team might go with the undefeated Laurent Brossoit (3-0 record, .957 save percentage, 1.67 goals against average).
The Jets will continue to lean on the offensive production out of Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. Wheeler (24 points) has tallied three goals and 21 assists and has recorded multiple points on six different occasions this year. Scheifele has 10 goals and 10 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 11 contests.
Buffalo has netted 3.4 units for moneyline bettors this year and is currently 10-8 straight up (SU). 10 of its outings have gone over the total, while seven have gone under the total and just one has pushed. Buffalo’s 4-5 SU as the road team this season.
Buffalo has converted on 17.7 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 13th overall and it’s successfully killed off 81.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Buffalo’s skaters have been whistled for penalties only 3.7 times per game in total this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five contests. The team has had to defend opponent power plays just 6.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Carter Hutton (27.2 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Buffalo. Hutton has seven wins, seven losses, and one OT loss to his credit, and has registered a .916 save percentage and 2.65 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive attack for the visiting Sabres will be Jeff Skinner (13 goals, seven assists) and Jack Eichel (four goals, 15 assists).
Buffalo Sabres vs. Winnipeg Jets Free Picks
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Notes
Betting Notes
The over has hit in three of Buffalo’s last five games.
The Jets are 4-4 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Sabres are 3-3 SU when they spend more time in the box than the opposition.
Winnipeg has forced 5.8 takeaways per game over its last five home games, a drop-off from its season average of 6.8 takeaways per game (ranked 21st).
Buffalo is averaging 4.0 goals per game in their last three games (the team’s a perfect 3-0 SU during that streak)
Buffalo is ranked 30th overall this season with 4.7 takeaways per game. That figure has trended upward recently, as it’s averaged 5.6 takeaways over its last 10 games and 7.2 takeaways over its last five.
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