Best Bets: Sabres avoid Lightning strike, break Tampa’s four game winning streak

Tonight’s game between the Lightning and the Sabres should be a fierce one. This Atlantic Division matchup will showcase the rising Sabres defense that has only allowed 2.20 goals in the past 10 games compared to the Lightning’s 3.20 per game average. 

Buffalo will need to get their offense going early as they are only averaging 2.70 goals per game in their last ten compared to the Tampa Bay offense that ranks top ten this season with a 3.38 goals per game average.

The Sabres backend will need to make key stops and help out their offense as much as they can. It should be a close game and if you want to get in on the action, here is some of our best bets for tonight’s matchup.

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.

Pick: Sabres ML (+100)

The Sabres top goal-scorer, Jeff Skinner, has been out for just over a week with an upper-body injury that has placed him on the injured reserve. It’s a shame as he was heating up with five goals and twelve points in his last ten games. Casey Mittelstadt has picked things up during his absence as the Sabres’ point leader with 12 goals and 39 points this season.

Their key player on offense will be young star Tage Thompson, who’s returned to the lineup and has been on fire since with five goals and eight points in his last nine games since returning.

If they can deploy their surging defense, and expected netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has been hot lately, with a .964 save percentage this month compared to .893 from September to early December, they should be able to hold off the Lightning’s forceful push at home.

Pick: Under 6.5 (-115)

With the Lightning’s recent scoring record, with an average of 3.50 goals per game in the last ten, they will have most betting lines at a high number, when the Sabres backend should be able to slow them down. The Lightning’s weaker defense may serve to help Buffalo stay in the game offensively and apply pressure as well, despite the Sabres injuries on offense with Skinner and centre Dylan Cozens questionable to play.

Buffalo will need to play a disciplined game as the Lightning own the league’s top power play at 31 per cent. It’s uncertain if Buffalo’s 17th ranked penalty kill could stop that so they will need to play a clean game and a strong one on defense.

Rasmus Dahlin has been leading the Sabres backend with the seventh-most points in the NHL for a defenseman with 13 goals and 36 points this season. He hasn’t slowed down yet with three goals and seven points in his last ten games.