The Buffalo Sabres rank eighth in generating 5-on-5 shots over the past 10 games. Shots should be plentiful when facing the fatigued Columbus Blue Jackets, who sit 23rd in shot share during that span.
My Blue Jackets vs. Sabres prediction is banking on a productive shooting performance from Noah Ostlund, who's registered multiple shots in every home game this season.
Let's take a closer look at my NHL picks for Friday, Nov. 6.
Blue Jackets vs Sabres prediction: Sabres moneyline
The Buffalo Sabres are playable to 65%.
This is a really good schedule spot for Buffalo, which has played just once since last Saturday night, and that was also at home.
The Sabres will be full of life against a Columbus Blue Jackets club in a road back-to-back and playing for the third time in four nights.
Buffalo is top 10 in shot generation at 5-on-5 over the last 10 games, and its fresh legs should help the Sabres dictate play.
The Blue Jackets are sitting 28th in goals/60 on the power play and 22nd in goals against/60 on the penalty kill. It’s unlikely they make up ground on special teams.
COVERS INTEL: Ostlund is averaging 9.04 shots on goal per 60 with Josh Doan on his wing compared to 7.04 when Zach Benson held that spot.
Blue Jackets vs Sabres combo
The Sabres are the better team at 5-on-5 and hold a significant rest advantage, which bodes well for their chances in this one.
Noah Ostlund registered multiple shots in all six home games this season despite facing a bevy of high-end shot-suppression teams. Ostlund also played the Blue Jackets in Columbus earlier in the year and recorded three shots.
Jet Greaves has allowed more goals than expected in five of seven starts, and it’s a tough schedule spot for him to buck that trend. Jack Quinn has logged 12 points over the last 10 games while sitting second on Buffalo in xG.
Blue Jackets vs Sabres combo
- Sabres moneyline
- Noah Ostlund Over 1.5 shots
- Jack Quinn Over 0.5 points
TOP PICK
Blue Jackets vs Sabres player prop: Noah Ostlund Over 1.5 shots
I’m backing Ostlund to record two-plus shots and would play it to 63%.
Ostlund has cleared this line in all six home games, averaging three shots on 5.7 attempts.
What makes that even more impressive is the schedule difficulty. Ostlund has already faced stingy defensive teams like the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Utah Mammoth, and Florida Panthers.
The Blue Jackets are a competent shot-suppression team, but not to the extent of those squads. They’ve conceded more than 27 shots per game on the road and have allowed 30.5 per game in the latter half of back-to-back sets.
I expect the Sabres to spend a lot of time on their front foot, and that should lead to plenty of looks for Ostlund.
Blue Jackets vs Sabres goal scorer: Zach Benson
Zach Benson has scored just two goals this season on 6.3 expected after potting 13 on 17 expected a campaign ago. He's underperforming his total more through just 15 games than he did across 65 last year. That won’t continue.
He was recently moved up to the top line with Tage Thompson, and that may be what Benson needs to get going.
Thompson is a high-gravity player who attracts a lot of attention due to his shot. That could lead to more time and space for Benson to operate.
Benson also lives around the paint and hunts for garbage goals. Playing with such a high-volume shooter will lead to more rebound opportunities.
- Top picks: 20-25, -9.6 units
- Combos: 7-38, -10.37 units
Blue Jackets vs Sabres odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Moneyline: Blue Jackets 40% | Sabres 61%
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (47%) | Under 6.5 (54%)
- Spread: Blue Jackets +1.5 (62%) | Sabres -1.5 (39%)
For the full slate of NHL matchups, check out our NHL odds board!
Blue Jackets vs Sabres trend
The home team is 6-1 over the last seven meetings. Find more NHL betting trends.
How to watch Blue Jackets vs Sabres
| Location | KeyBank Center, Buffalo |
| Date | Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | SN+, ESPN+ |
Blue Jackets vs Sabres latest injuries
Check out our NHL injuries page for updates on every team.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
