There’s no better way to get back on track than getting a matchup with the worst team in the NHL.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been on the wrong end of some close games recently, dropping three of their last four contests by one goal, but they’re presented with the perfect cure Wednesday: a date with the Buffalo Sabres.
Buffalo heads into the tilt on a 14-game losing skid and has made even the Ottawa Senators look good. Will Pittsburgh push the streak to 15? Find out with our best free NHL betting picks and predictions for Sabres vs. Penguins on March 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena.
Buffalo Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins betting preview
Injuries
Sabres: Carter Hutton G (Questionable), Colin Miller D (Questionable), Tobias Rieder LW (Questionable), Jack Eichel C (Out), Kyle Okposo RW (Out), Linus Ullmark G (Out).
Penguins: Juuso Riikola D (Questionable), Bradnon Tanev RW (Questionable), Teddy Blueger C (Out), Evgeni Malkin C (Out), Jason Zucker (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 6-0 in the Penguins' last six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Penguins.
NHL sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonTwinSpires opened Pittsburgh a hefty -268 on the moneyline and is up to -286, with ticket count 3/1 and money nearly 5/1 on the Penguins. The total is at 6, with 66 percent of bets/70 percent of money on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gamePuckline pick
Though Pittsburgh has dropped three of its last four games, all three of those losses were by one goal and one of them went to overtime. Before that, the Penguins reeled off six wins in a row and they’re within striking distance of first place in the East despite the two teams ahead of them, the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, both going 8-2 in their last 10.
The Penguins recently lost center Evgeni Malkin but his services shouldn’t be needed against a Sabres team that has the longest losing streak in a season since… the Sabres. The last time a team lost 14 in a row was Buffalo during the 2014-15 campaign. Another loss would be the first time any club has dropped 15 straight since the 2003-04 Penguins, who ended up losing a record 18 consecutive contests. The NHL doesn’t view this as the record because it only counts regulation losses as part of the official stat (the Sabres have an overtime and shootout loss over this stretch, if you’re wondering), but a loss is a loss in our books, meaning the Sabres are closing in on history.
Pittsburgh already has two separate three-goal wins over the Sabres this year and the biggest question entering this matchup is probably whether it can make it three.
Buffalo obviously can’t be recommended on the moneyline, but neither can the Penguins because there’s simply no value there. The best play is to take Pittsburgh on the puckline and hope that it doesn’t take the matchup lightly because of its opponent. Over this horrific streak, Buffalo has lost 10 of the 14 games by two-plus goals.
PREDICTION: Penguins -1.5 (-115)
Over/Under pick
The Sabres haven’t been above .500 at any point this year. They have 16 points through 30 games and appear to be accelerating toward one of the worst seasons in modern NHL history.
They’ve perfected the recipe that’s going to get them there without any detours along the way: They can’t score goals and they can’t prevent them, either. Buffalo has allowed 3.47 goals per game on the season while scoring 2.07 (the third-worst and worst marks, respectively, in the NHL). During the streak, the Sabres have managed to score just 1.64 goals per game (31st out of 31 teams) and have surrendered 4.14, which is somehow not the worst mark in the NHL thanks to the Anaheim Ducks.
Jack Eichel is out, Taylor Hall has been a colossal disappointment, second-leading scorer Victor Olofsson has one goal over the 14-game skid, and Sam Reinhart – only one of two Sabres with more than five tallies – can’t do it by himself. Buffalo is ravaged with injuries and has barely any options it can rely on to get offense from and, to make matters worse, the Penguins are allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game since the Sabres’ losing drought began February 25.
Pittsburgh, like most teams, should punish them. But it’s a lot to ask for one team to do all the heavy lifting, and the Penguins enter having gone Under in six consecutive games.
PREDICTION: Under 6 (-120)
Sabres vs Penguins betting card
- Penguins -1.5 (-115)
- Under 6 (-120)
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