Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers Prediction and Betting Analysis

Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers: Thompson's Hat Trick Sets the Tone for the Match

The Buffalo Sabres travel to the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida to face the Florida Panthers on Friday. The Panthers are considered the favorites in the game, with a -189 moneyline, while the Sabres are the underdogs at +160. The over/under for the game is set at 7.

The Sabres are currently in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 29-23-4, while the Panthers are fifth in the Atlantic with a 29-25-6 record. The Sabres are coming off a thrilling 6-5 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick. The Panthers, on the other hand, are coming off a 4-3 loss against the Nashville Predators.

Buffalo Sabres Analysis

The Sabres have a scoring differential of +12, having scored 209 goals and conceded 197. Thompson has been their top performer this season, with 39 goals and 36 assists. Rasmus Dahlin has also been impressive, with nine assists in the last 10 games.

Buffalo has struggled against the Atlantic Division this season, with a record of 7-9-1. However, they have won 15 of their last 20 road games, indicating that they are comfortable playing away from home. The Sabres have also performed well against the Panthers in recent history, winning six of their last 10 meetings.

Florida Panthers

The Panthers have the best penalty kill in the NHL, serving just 12.0 penalty minutes per game. They have also been impressive against the Atlantic Division, with a record of 10-3-2. Carter Verhaeghe has been the standout player for the Panthers this season, with 30 goals and 22 assists.

However, the Panthers have struggled against the Sabres recently, losing six of their last 10 meetings. They will be without Anthony Duclair, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury, while Sam Bennett is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Patric Hornqvist is out with an upper-body injury.

Betting Trends

The total has gone over in five of Buffalo's last six games, while the Sabres have lost their last six games against Florida. Buffalo has a record of 1-8 SU in their last nine games playing on the road against Florida. Florida has won six of its last nine games and four of its last five home games.

Public Betting Data

According to Kingpin.pro's public betting data, 69% of the bets are on the Panthers to win, while 31% are on the Sabres to win.

Prediction

The Sabres are coming off a great win against the Lightning, and Thompson's hat trick will give them confidence going into the game against the Panthers. The Panthers, on the other hand, have struggled against the Sabres recently and are missing some key players due to injury. We predict the Sabres will win this game 4-3 and cover the spread.

Pick: Buffalo Sabres +1.5