The Buffalo Sabres take a three-game winning streak to Sunrise, FL to face the scorching-hot Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night.
Florida has won 11 of its past 13 games and remains a consensus favorite in the Stanley Cup odds, so it’s no surprise the Panthers are a huge favorite in the NHL odds against the Sabres here.
Buffalo has eked out one-goal wins during its mini-surge, including upsetting the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout on Sunday.
Is another upset in store, or will Florida take care of business on home ice? Here’s our breakdown with free NHL picks for the Sabres vs. Panthers showdown on Tuesday, February 27.
Sabres vs Panthers odds
Sabres vs Panthers predictions
The Florida Panthers just went on the road with backup Anthony Stolarz in net and blanked the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 at KeyBank Center on February 15, and now it’s the Cats on home ice with a chance to tie the Boston Bruins atop the Atlantic Division with a win.
Buffalo actually outshot Florida 45-30 in the loss, but the Sabres trailed for all but 10:34 of the game, and the Panthers still generated 57.03% of the expected goals.
The Panthers should have No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in net this time around, and he’s scorching along a 7-1 stretch with a league-best .947 save percentage, 1.61 GAA, and 1.28 goals saved above average per 60 minutes during the heater.
Additionally, Florida ranks second in goals against (1.84), expected goals against (2.27), and Corsi For percentage (56.3%) at 5-on-5. As a result, I’m anticipating goals being tough to come by for the Sabres on Tuesday.
Let’s not overlook Buffalo No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, though. He’s flipped the script following the holiday break with an elite .935 save percentage, 1.77 GAA, and 0.81 GSAA/60 across 17 appearances. Additionally, as good as the Panthers have been, offense hasn’t exactly been their calling card. Florida ranks 23rd in goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, with their fifth-ranked 25.7 power-play percentage doing the heavy lifting.
I expect Luukkonen to continue playing well, and goals also being tough to come by for the Panthers. Finally, with this total trading at 6.5 at most sportsbooks, I value landing the hook without a crippling vig attached.
My best bet: Under 6.5 (-125 at PROLINE+)
Sabres vs Panthers same-game parlay
Under 6.5
Panthers moneyline
There are prebuilt same-game parlays available through PROLINE+, but none involve the total. As a result, in addition to my best bet, I’m adding the Panthers moneyline.
Florida is 18-8-2 on home ice, and checks out as the better team in both my offensive (seventh) and defensive (first) ratings. Add the Panthers power-play prowess, and I anticipate them coming out on top on Tuesday.
For comparison, Buffalo sits 14th in offense and 18th in defense in my ratings. As good as the Sabres and Luukkonen have been of late, they’re still a middle-of-the-pack team on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Sabres vs Panthers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
There has been movement to the Florida side of this moneyline, with bet365 opening Panthers at -210. The number sits at -240 as of Tuesday morning. It’s an accurate number, and especially considering the home-ice advantage for the Cats, and that Florida just topped Buffalo 4-0 on the road. Still, a buyback number on Buffalo is out there, and I’d anticipate action on the Sabres if their moneyline climbs high enough above +200.
The PROLINE+ 6.5 total is an outlier, with the majority of sportsbooks hanging 6, and the Over is carrying the higher vig. Both teams are trending to the Under of late, and the highlighted goaltending numbers are elite. Additionally, Florida has allowed two goals or fewer in 13 consecutive games.
Sabres vs Panthers betting trend to know
The total has gone Under the number in five of the past six Buffalo games and four of the past five Florida games. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Panthers.
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Sabres vs Panthers game info
| Location: | Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL |
| Date: | Tuesday, February 27, 2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN+, HULU |
Sabres vs Panthers latest injuries
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