The Ottawa Senators (19-17-3) will welcome the Buffalo Sabres (15-21-5) to Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night in what promises to be a pivotal Atlantic Division matchup.
Both teams enter the contest facing significant challenges, with the Senators having lost three straight games and five of their last six, while the Sabres recently snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over Washington.
The absence of Ottawa's starting goaltender Linus Ullmark looms large over this matchup, as backup Anton Forsberg (4-7-1, 3.03 GAA) will be tasked with containing Buffalo's offense led by Tage Thompson, who leads the Sabres with 19 goals and 34 points this season.
The Senators' offensive efforts will be spearheaded by Brady Tkachuk (18 goals) and Tim Stutzle (41 points), though their recent scoring struggles have contributed to their recent slide in the standings.
While Ottawa holds the statistical advantage in several categories, including shots per game (29.7 vs 27.0) and power play efficiency (24.6% vs 18.3%), their recent form suggests this could be anyone's game.
With both teams desperately seeking points to climb back into playoff contention in the Atlantic Division, this matchup could prove crucial in determining their respective paths forward this season.
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres: who will win?
For tonight's Ottawa Senators vs Buffalo Sabres matchup, our predictive model gives the Sabres a 61.33% chance of defeating the Senators.
Buffalo Sabres: 61.33% win probability
- Superior offensive output (126 goals for vs Senators' 114)
- Higher scoring potential (3.07 goals per game average)
- More games played provides better rhythm (41 GP vs Senators' 39 GP)
Ottawa Senators: 38.67% win probability
- Poor recent form (LLLWL in last 5 games)
- Lower scoring efficiency (2.92 goals per game)
- Inconsistent home performance (19-17 overall record)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres odds
| Ottawa Senators | Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|---|
| moneyline | -150 (via bet365 US) | +130 (via DraftKings Sportsbook) |
Key stats
- 1The Ottawa Senators have won 19 out of 39 matches this season.
- 2The Buffalo Sabres have won 15 out of 41 matches this season.
- 3With 41 points, the Ottawa Senators holds the 10th position in the league standings.
- 4Buffalo Sabres's 35 points place them 16th in the rankings.
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres form
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres head to head
Ottawa Senators
33%
Buffalo Sabres
67%
Nov 6, 2024
Buffalo Sabres
5 : 1
Ottawa Senators
Sep 26, 2024
Ottawa Senators
2 : 3
Buffalo Sabres
Mar 27, 2024
Buffalo Sabres
2 : 6
Ottawa Senators
Jan 12, 2024
Buffalo Sabres
5 : 3
Ottawa Senators
Dec 31, 2023
Ottawa Senators
5 : 1
Buffalo Sabres
Oct 24, 2023
Ottawa Senators
4 : 6
Buffalo Sabres
