Sabres vs. Maple Leafs Odds
| Sabres Odds | +200 |
| Maple Leafs Odds | -250 |
| Over/Under | 7 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | SNO |
It appears that the Buffalo Sabres' playoff hopes have completely dwindled during this recent stretch of games. Buffalo has lost four straight games and six out of its last seven.
The Maple Leafs have been trending in the opposite direction of the Sabres, having won six out of their last eight games as they're starting to buzz offensively.
Buffalo will be playing its fourth game in six nights and has struggled mightily in this situation.
Sabres Trending Down
The Buffalo Sabres have not been producing as much offensively as of late. During their four-game losing streak, they have only tallied nine goals and have been horrendous in their own zone, allowing 18 Goals Against in that same span.
The Sabres have been missing Alex Tuch a ton, and it is showing that they definitely need him. They miss him most on the power play as Buffalo hasn't converted on the man advantage in their last three games, only scoring once on their last eight attempts.
The Sabres have struggled defensively all season long as they allow the fifth-most Scoring Chances Against, giving up 13.02 per game. To make matters worse, they are giving up the sixth-highest goals per game, allowing 3.62 Goals Against each contest.
They have won games all year long thanks to their offensive production, but they haven't been getting much in that department as of late, which will make beating the Toronto Maple Leafs an extremely difficult task.
Maple Leafs Surging Into Playoffs
The Maple Leafs are definitely shifting into playoff mode, and this team is starting to look different. Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander are taking over, especially in their last five games as this trio has combined for 20 points between the three of them in that span.
The Leafs have been firing on all cylinders, tallying 11 goals in their last two games. They now have three players on their roster with at least 30 goals, with Nylander scoring 34 and Tavares and Matthews with 30 of their own.
Scoring goals has never necessarily been a concern for the Leafs, but their biggest question mark was always in the blue paint. Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov have split a lot of time in the net, but Samsonov should be getting the nod in this one. He is boasting a 23-8-2 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.41 Goals Against Average.
The Leafs have won both meetings this season, outscoring the Sabres 11-5 in those games, and they should continue their dominance.
Sabres vs. Maple Leafs Pick
Toronto is really appearing to turn the corner as they are hoping this can finally be the year where they find playoff success. The Sabres had some hopes for the postseason, but this recent struggle might be the dagger to their season.
The Sabres haven't found much success in Toronto over the past few seasons, going 7-20 in their last 27 trips up north.
Toronto's big guns are buzzing right now, while the Sabres can't seem to keep the puck out of the net. I love the Leafs on the puck line.
Pick: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+100) |
