Blue Jackets vs Sabres Prediction NHL Picks Free 4/14

© Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Introduction:

On April 14, 2023, the Buffalo Sabres will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Both teams have struggled this season, with the Sabres ranking fifth in the Atlantic Division and the Blue Jackets coming last in the Metropolitan Division. However, this does not mean that the game will be boring. In fact, our prediction is that this will be a high-scoring game, with over 6.5 goals being the best bet.

Buffalo Sabres:

The Buffalo Sabres have had a mixed season, with a record of 40-33-7. While they have been strong on the road, with a record of 24-13-3, they have struggled to perform at home. The Sabres have a solid offense, with Tage Thompson leading the team in goals with 46, and Rasmus Dahlin leading the team in assists with 57. However, their defense has been a weakness, with a goals-against average of 3.65.

Injury Report:

The Sabres will be without defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who is out due to injury.

Goaltenders:

The Sabres will most likely start Uku-Pekka Luukkonen, who has a record of 17-11-4 and a save percentage of .892. If needed, they can also rely on Craig Anderson, who has a record of 10-11-2 and a save percentage of .908.

Columbus Blue Jackets:

The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a tough season, with a record of 24-47-9. They have struggled both on the road and at home, with a record of 15-22-2 at home. Their offense has been led by Johnny Gaudreau, who has 72 points, and Boone Jenner, who has 26 goals. However, their defense has been weak, with a goals-against average of 4.01.

Injury Report:

The Blue Jackets will be without Eric Robinson, Lane Pederson, and Boone Jenner, who are all out due to injury.

Goaltenders:

The Blue Jackets will most likely start Elvis Merzlikins, who has a record of 7-18-2 and a save percentage of .876. If needed, they can also rely on Michael Hutchinson, who has a record of 1-6-3 and a save percentage of .871.

Prediction:

Given the stats of both teams, we predict that this will be a high-scoring game. The Sabres have a solid offense, but weak defense, and the Blue Jackets have struggled in both aspects of the game. Furthermore, with three of the Blue Jackets' top players out due to injury, their defense will be even weaker than usual. Therefore, we predict that the Sabres will come out on top, with a final score of 5-3.

Our best bet for this game is the over of 6.5 goals. Both teams have struggled defensively, and we expect them to give up multiple goals. Additionally, with a weak defense, the Blue Jackets may be forced to take more risks offensively, resulting in more goals. Therefore, we believe that the over of 6.5 goals is the best bet for this game.

Pick: Over 6.5 goals