New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, 3/24/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres

Date: Friday, March 24, 2023

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG Network

Odds/Point Spread: Devils (-175) Sabres (+145)

KeyBank Center is the site where the Buffalo Sabres (33-31-6) will take on the New Jersey Devils (45-18-8) on Friday. The moneyline on this game has the Devils at -175 and the Sabres are sitting at +145. The betting total comes in at 7.

The New Jersey Devils will look to clean up some issues after taking a 2-1 defeat against the Wild in the last game they played. The Devils had a below average offensive outing in this loss. While out there on the ice, they scored on 1 of the 48 shots they looked to score on. Furthermore, they had 3 power play tries but didn't convert them into a score. New Jersey earned 2 mins in the box in this outing.

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New Jersey Devils opponents have recorded 203 power play tries (23rd in pro hockey) and have tallied 36 goals in those attempts. The Devils have seen 2,007 shots tried against them and hold a save percentage of .906. New Jersey has taken 2,454 shots and holds a shot percentage of 10.0%. While at even strength, the Devils have given up 153 goals while getting 204 of their own. New Jersey has tallied 197 power play chances and they have notched 41 goals during those advantages, giving them a rate of 20.81%. For the current campaign, they have tallied 98 points and their points percentage is sitting at .690. With regard to their goal scoring prowess, the New Jersey Devils have racked up 245 goals (6th in the NHL) on the season and have conceded 189.

The man protecting the net in this game is Vitek Vanecek. Opponents have tallied 303 goals against Vanecek in his career and his goals against average per game is 2.61. Vanecek has taken the ice for 124 games over the course of his professional hockey career. He has a save percentage of .908 during his 6,963 mins on the ice. He has compiled a mark of 70-30-14 and he has started in 117 games. For his professional hockey career, Vanecek is sitting with 63 quality starts and his rate for quality starts is .538. Vanecek has had 3,304 shots taken against him and has recorded 3,001 saves.

In their last contest, Buffalo played the Predators in an outing where the Sabres took the loss by a tally of 7-3. They had 4 opportunities on the power play in this contest and recorded 1 out of those chances. The Sabres scored 3 goals out of the 31 shots on goal they were seeking.

During this campaign, the Buffalo Sabres have accumulated 250 goals, 72 points, in addition to a points percentage of .514. They have permitted 261 goals to be scored by of a combination of 206 goals at even strength and 55 goals while they were shorthanded. The Sabres are sitting with 193 goals at even strength and 57 goals (5th in the league) while on the power play. They have a total of 232 power play chances and they have accumulated a power play rate of 24.57%. Buffalo has attempted 2,254 shots (16th in the league) and has earned a shot percentage of 11.09%, while allowing their opponents 2,313 shots. They have a penalty kill rate of 72.22% on their oppositions 198 tries on the power play, and their save percentage sits at 88.7%.

Across the ice you are likely to see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net. Luukkonen holds a lifetime record of 18-19-6 and has played in 44 games. Luukkonen's quality start rate comes out to 46.5% and he has accumulated 20 quality starts in his hockey career. He has a tally of 1,262 stops out of 1,407 shots tried, which gives him a save % of .897. Teams are averaging 3.47 goals per contest and he has allowed 145 goals in total. He has started in 43 games and has racked up 2,510 minutes.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony's Pick: Take New Jersey (-175)

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