The Buffalo Sabres, riding a three-game winning streak, welcome the playoff-positioned Columbus Blue Jackets to KeyBank Center on Tuesday night in what promises to be an intriguing Eastern Conference matchup.
The Blue Jackets (26-20-7) enter the contest holding the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, though they're looking to bounce back from a 5-3 loss to Dallas that snapped their own three-game winning streak.
Buffalo (21-26-5) has shown recent signs of life with their current streak, powered by Tage Thompson's team-leading 26 goals and Rasmus Dahlin's 33 assists, but still sits 12 points outside the playoff picture.
Both teams have demonstrated offensive prowess this season, with Columbus averaging 3.3 goals per game and Buffalo maintaining a respectable 3.1 scoring average, though defensive struggles have plagued both sides.
The goaltending battle will likely feature Columbus's Elvis Merzlikins (19-12-3) against Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (18-15-4), with both netminders looking to improve their sub-.900 save percentages.
As these teams prepare to face off in what could be a pivotal game for their respective playoff aspirations, recent history suggests fans should expect a high-scoring affair, with eight of the last eleven meetings between these teams going over the total.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: who will win?
For tonight's Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets matchup, our predictive model gives the Blue Jackets a 50.67% chance of defeating the Sabres.
Columbus Blue Jackets: 50.67% win probability
- Superior offensive output (177 goals scored vs Sabres' 164)
- Better overall point total (59 points vs Sabres' 47)
- Stronger recent form (LWWWL vs Sabres' WWWLL)
Buffalo Sabres: 49.33% win probability
- Poor defensive record (177 goals against, among bottom third in league)
- Lower win percentage (21 wins in 52 games vs Blue Jackets' 26 in 53)
- Inferior point accumulation (47 points, lowest in Atlantic Division)
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.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets odds
| Buffalo Sabres | Columbus Blue Jackets | |
|---|---|---|
| moneyline | -160 (via BetMGM Sportsbook) | +146 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) |
Key stats
- 1The Buffalo Sabres have won 21 out of 52 matches this season.
- 2The Columbus Blue Jackets have won 26 out of 53 matches this season.
- 3With 47 points, the Buffalo Sabres holds the 16th position in the league standings.
- 4Columbus Blue Jackets's 59 points place them 8th in the rankings.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets form
Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets head to head
Buffalo Sabres
50%
Columbus Blue Jackets
50%
Oct 17, 2024
Columbus Blue Jackets
6 : 4
Buffalo Sabres
Sep 28, 2024
Columbus Blue Jackets
6 : 3
Buffalo Sabres
Sep 23, 2024
Buffalo Sabres
6 : 1
Columbus Blue Jackets
Feb 24, 2024
Columbus Blue Jackets
1 : 2
Buffalo Sabres
Dec 30, 2023
Buffalo Sabres
3 : 2
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dec 20, 2023
Buffalo Sabres
4 : 9
Columbus Blue Jackets
