The surging Ottawa Senators, currently holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Canadian Tire Centre in what could be a pivotal Atlantic Division showdown.
While Ottawa boasts a stronger defensive record with Linus Ullmark's solid 2.76 GAA in net, Buffalo brings the league's 9th-ranked offense led by Tage Thompson's 38 goals - though their 30th-ranked goals-against average might prove costly on Tuesday night.
The playoff-hungry Senators have won 9 of their last 13 games overall and five of six on home ice, setting up what should be a compelling clash between the home team Ottawa Senators and away team Buffalo Sabres.
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Ottawa Senators vs Buffalo Sabres matchup, our predictive model gives the Sens a 70% chance of defeating the Sabres.
Ottawa Senators: 70% win probability
- Strong offensive output (211 goals scored this season)
- Solid position in Eastern Conference standings (7th place with 84 points)
- Positive momentum with 'LWWLW' recent form
Buffalo Sabres: 30% win probability
- Poor defensive record (261 goals conceded, among worst in Eastern Conference)
- Lower points total (68 points through 73 games)
- Road game disadvantage against higher-ranked opponent
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
Here are the current odds for the NHL showdown between the Buffalo Sabres and the host Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, April 01.
| Ottawa Senators | Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -200 (via bet365 US) | +170 (via BetMGM Sportsbook) |
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Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres preview
The Ottawa Senators welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday night in what's shaping up to be a classic Atlantic Division mismatch on paper.
Despite Buffalo's impressive offensive output (3.2 goals per game), their leaky defense has them sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference and staring elimination square in the face.
Ottawa, meanwhile, has been riding hot lately, winning nine of their last thirteen and solidifying their grip on the first Wild Card spot in the East.
The goaltending battle couldn't be more lopsided, with Ottawa's Linus Ullmark (2.76 GAA, .909 SV%) significantly outperforming Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (3.23 GAA, .885 SV%).
Keep an eye on Tage Thompson, Buffalo's leading goal-scorer with 38, who'll be looking to penetrate an Ottawa defense that's been particularly stingy at home lately.
For the Sens, Tim Stutzle continues to be their offensive engine with 71 points, though they'll miss Nick Cousins due to injury.
These teams have kept the scoring relatively low when facing each other this season, with the under hitting in six of their last seven meetings at Canadian Tire Centre.
The Sabres' awful 11 losses in their last 14 road games doesn't bode well against a Senators squad that's won five of their last six on home ice.
Key stats
- 1Ottawa Senators rank 7th in Eastern Conference with 84 points while Buffalo ranks 16th with 68 points
- 2Buffalo Sabres have better recent form (WLWWW) compared to Ottawa Senators (LWWLW)
- 3Ottawa Senators have a better goal difference of +2 compared to Buffalo's -22
- 4Buffalo Sabres score more goals (239 in 73 games) than Ottawa (211 in 73 games) but concede significantly more
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres form
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres head to head
Ottawa Senators
17%
Buffalo Sabres
83%
Mar 25, 2025
Buffalo Sabres
3 : 2
Ottawa Senators
Jan 10, 2025
Ottawa Senators
0 : 4
Buffalo Sabres
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
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