The New York Rangers (44-21-10) and Buffalo Sabres (35-31-7) will square off on Sunday night. Both teams have fared well against their NHL schedule for the most part, but the Sabres have endured their share of ups and downs.
Buffalo has dropped three of their past five games leading into Friday. They were most recently defeated by Montreal by a final score of 4-3.
New York, meanwhile, has won three of their past five games. The Rangers’ recent three-game winning streak was snapped in their most recent outing, losing by a final score of 2-1 against New Jersey.
The Rangers lead the season series 1-0. New York and Buffalo are scheduled to have three total NHL games against one another this season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST on Friday. March 31 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Let’s take a look at the Rangers vs Sabres picks, analysis, and odds as these NHL teams prepare to battle.
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres Odds
The Sabres haven’t had the best overall campaign, but they are still a capable opponent. Nevertheless, New York is the favorite heading into Friday.
The Rangers offer an all-around balanced attack which has been crucial to their success. They find ways to win regardless of the situation on a consistent basis.
Let’s take a closer look at the game before sharing our official Rangers vs Sabres picks.
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres Information
New York Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres
Location of the Game: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY.
Date and Time: Friday, March 31, 2023, at 7:00 PM ET.
How to Watch: NHLN
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Preview
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers rely on their balance, as mentioned earlier. Their offense is impressive, to say the least, but they also can hold their own on defense.
Overall, the Rangers are ranked 12th in goals for, 10th in assists, 10th in power play percentage, and ninth in shooting percentage. Additionally, they are fourth in goals against.
Here’s a glance at the NHL player stats:
Mika Zibanejad leads New York with 38 goals. He’s added 43 assists as well; however, Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers with 59 assists this year.
Goalie Igor Shesterkin has recorded 34 wins, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.54 GAA.
Fortunately for the Rangers, they don’t have many players on the NHL injury report. Ryan Lingren was held out of Thursday’s game, and his status for Friday is uncertain.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are trying to establish a sense of consistency. They’ve displayed signs of breaking through at times this year, but they’ve been unable to carry the momentum for long stretches of time.
The Sabres are ranked third in goals for, 26th in goals against, eighth in assists, seventh in power play percentage, and sixth in shooting percentage. The Sabres score a lot of goals, but they also allow far too many.
Here’s a glance at the NHL player stats:
Buffalo’s potent offense is led by Tage Thompson, who’s scored 44 goals to pace the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin leads Buffalo with 51 assists. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has tallied 16 wins, a .889 save percentage, and a 3.63 GAA.
The Sabres are dealing with a number of injury concerns. Tage Thompson and Vinnie Hinostroza are among the Sabres listed on the Buffalo Sabres injury report.
After reviewing the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers odds and analysis, it is time to share our NHL picks.
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Picks
Before sharing our official Rangers vs Sabres picks, it should be said that bettors will want to monitor the injury report for both teams closer to game time.
The Rangers and Sabres NHL standings differential is no mistake, as New York has simply been the more reliable team.
- Take the Rangers -1.5 with your NHL betting selection.
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