Buffalo vs. Ottawa. NHL match prediction and bets

Current form

Buffalo three-game winning streak was followed by a series of failures, which began at home. The team hosted the clear favorite, Florida, and was unable to cope with such a powerful opponent, suffering a crushing defeat with a score of 2:5. Already in the first period, the opponent took a significant advantage of two goals, but the "blades" did not give up and were able to recoup, but not for long. Due to lapses in defense, as well as the poor play of goalie Lukkonen, they ultimately had to give in. The Sabres had an excellent opportunity to rehabilitate themselves in front of the fans and regain lost points in the match with the Islanders, but this did not happen, and again due to the weak play of the defensive line, which this time led to an unfortunate defeat with a score of 3:4.

The Blades were able to contain the pressure of their competitors already on the road, where they fought with Detroit and throughout the match they looked much more active, creating serious pressure on the Red Wings. This time, the low implementation of dangerous moments in the attack let them down, out of 33 shots only one hit the target. As a result, the match ended in another failure (1:2). The lost points led to Buffalo already dropping to 14th place in the Eastern Conference table, and without an advantage over its closest competitors.

Disqualifications and injuries

Remarkably, Buffalo has absolutely no problems with the roster. All players are in the lineup, and the only question mark is forward Zach Benson.

Interesting trends for betting

• Buffalo is allowing an average of 3.6 goals per game.

One of the main reasons for the club losses remains its weak defensive play, and the attacking line is unable to compensate for the large number of goals conceded.

• The Sabres have converted just three power play attempts this season.

It also worth noting one of the worst power play conversions in the league.

Current form

Ottawa has been playing quite confidently this season and has consistently fought off almost all opponents on its way. Yes, the team does not always achieve the desired result, but it is worth noting its persistence in matches with obvious favorites. The team recently met Vegas and Colorado, losing with a score of 4:6 and 4:5, respectively. As you can see, even after a large number of missed goals, the Senators did not give up, but continued to impose a fight on their competitors. Returning to their home arena, Green charges left no chance for St. Louis at all, having won one of the biggest victories over the Blues with a score of 8:1. The attacking line showed a great game, and in particular forward Stuetzle, who scored twice and also gave two assists.

Then the Senators went on the road again, where they had to face one of the strongest clubs in the league, losing to the Rangers by just one goal (1:2). It is worth noting that Ottawa looked much better than the clear favorite in this match and made 23 more shots, but their accuracy was not the best. As expected, the team quickly rehabilitated and in the match with Seattle won a confident victory in regulation time, and without scoring (3:0).

Disqualifications and injuries

Almost all of Ottawa key players remain in action, but it worth noting the players who won't be able to take part in the upcoming match. Forwards David Perron and Shane Pinto are still in the infirmary, and goalie Mads Segaard and defenseman Artem Zub have not recovered from injuries.

Interesting trends for betting

• Ottawa averages 7.5 penalty minutes per game

The Senators are a disciplined team and rarely break the rules.

• The Senators are averaging 3.9 goals per game.

It is impossible not to note the club’s very high attack performance.