The Carolina Hurricanes are riding a six-game winning streak and aim to take that winning momentum into the All-Star break playing on back-to-back nights. On the other hand, the Buffalo Sabres had a five-game winning streak snapped in their last game on January 28th. Wednesday night’s matchup is the second of three between these NHL teams this season, with the Hurricanes winning 5-3 back on November 4th, 2022.
We’ll review the stats, betting trends, and Hurricanes vs Sabres odds before making our NHL expert picks for Wednesday night’s betting ticket.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres Odds
Let’s review where the Hurricanes vs Sabres odds are before digging into the stats and trends.
NHL odds have the Carolina Hurricanes listed as the moneyline favorite, between -159 and -162. The Buffalo Sabres are the underdog and are listed from +132 to +140. The Hurricanes have a 33-17 straight-up record, while the Sabres are 26-23 straight-up.
The puck line spread is set to 1.5 goals, which is standard for most NHL games. The Hurricanes are listed at -1.5, with odds between -110 and -125, while the Sabres are listed at +1.5 and listed between -170 and -188.
Carolina has a 20-30 ATS record, while Buffalo has a 28-21 ATS record.
The total goals line is set to 6.5. The over is listed between -110 and -125, while the under is listed from -104 to -110. The Sabres have a 27-21-1 over/under record, while the Hurricanes have a 23-25-2 over/under record.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres Information
Carolina Hurricanes (33-9-8) vs Buffalo Sabres (26-19-4)
Location of the game: KeyBank Center. Buffalo, NY.
Date: Wednesday, February 1st. 7:30 PM ET.
How to watch: TNT.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Preview
Carolina Hurricanes Soar to the Top of the NHL Standings
The Carolina Hurricanes have been near the top of the NHL standings all season long, currently lead the Metropolitan Division, and are ranked second overall in the NHL. The Hurricanes are riding a six-game winning streak and have won eight of the last ten.
The Hurricanes have a 7-3 over/under record in the last ten games. The over is 6-1 in the Hurricanes’ last seven road games. However, the under is 6-0 in the Canes’ last six matchups against the Atlantic Division.
Carolina is 5-1 in the last six games in Buffalo and 14-2 in the last 16 games against teams with a winning record.
The Hurricanes average 3.3 goals per game, ranking them 11th in the league. However, despite the offensive weapons available, the Hurricanes aren’t excellent on the powerplay, ranked 22nd and converting at 19.7%.
Carolina has one of the better defenses in the NHL, giving up 2.7 goals per game, while the penalty kill is operating at 81.5%. These defensive stats have the Hurricanes ranked seventh overall in both categories.
Martin Necas leads the Hurricanes in total NHL player stats with 46 points (21 goals, 25 assists) but doesn’t lead the Hurricanes in either category. Sebastian Aho leads the squad with 22 goals, while Brent Burns leads Carolina with 27 assists.
Buffalo Sabres Take a Break with Momentum on Their Side
After tonight’s game against the Hurricanes, the Buffalo Sabres have a large, mandatory gap in the NHL schedule and won’t return to the ice until February 11th. The Sabres have won four of their last five games but are only 6-4 in the last ten games.
The Sabres have a 4-6 over/under record in the last ten games.
The under is 4-1 in Buffalo’s last five games against the Eastern Conference. Good news for the Sabres: the home team is 4-0 in the last four head-to-head matchups.
When checking the Buffalo Sabres stats, there is a clear tale of two teams. They are a dynamic offensive juggernaut on one end, and a team somewhat lost defensively at the other end.
The Sabres have the number-one ranked offense in the NHL, averaging 3.8 goals per game, and have the fourth-best powerplay, converting at 25.9%.
Defensively, Buffalo is giving up 3.3 goals per game, ranking 22nd, while the penalty kill is among the NHL’s worst, ranked 28th and operating at 73.6%.
The Sabres have the most notable names on the NHL injury report, as center Dylan Cozens and superstar right-winger Tage Thompson are both listed as day-to-day and might not hit the ice Wednesday night.
Thompson leads the Sabres with 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists), while Rasmus Dahlin leads the Sabres in assists with 41.
Projected Starters
When checking the Carolina Hurricanes score today or any day this season, you’ve noticed they have the fortune of having three goalies on their roster who can win on any given night, despite early-season injury issues.
With the All-star break just around the corner and Frederik Andersen starting the last two games, Antti Raanta is the expected starter for the Hurricanes. Raanta has an 11-3-0 record, posting a 2.48 GAA and a .903 SV%.
The Buffalo Sabres are expected to counter Raanta with their number-one goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen has a 13-5-2 record, with a 3.27 GAA and a .901 SV%.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Prediction
Let’s review some final betting trends before making our predictions and NHL picks. The favorite is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings, while the home team is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
Now that we’ve reviewed the important betting trends, stats, and Hurricanes vs Sabres odds, it’s time to make our predictions and NHL picks. Considering the teams, intangibles, potential scratches, and the incoming All-Star break, these are not easy picks to make.
Based on the information and Hurricanes vs Sabres odds, our first pick is to take the well-rested Buffalo Sabres to end the Carolina Hurricanes’ six-game winning streak. The Hurricanes are playing on back-to-back nights and their third game in four nights. We’ll take the Sabres as the home underdog on the moneyline.
Considering we’re taking the Sabres as the underdog to win, we’re also taking the Sabres to cover the +1.5 goal spread. If the Sabres are going to win this game and pull off the upset, they’ll have to cover the spread to do so. Take the Sabres +1.5.
Our final pick is the most difficult. Carolina is one of the better defensive teams in the league and has been scoring more recently, averaging 4.6 goals per game in the last five games. Conversely, the Sabres might be the highest-scoring team in the league, but they have gone 2-3 over/under in the last five games.
Aftering considering the recent performance and competition and the betting trends, we’re going to take the under.
NHL Picks: Buffalo Sabres ML, Buffalo Sabres +1.5, Under
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