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Looking to win big? The Sabres and Blue Jackets face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Blue Jackets are hosting the game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Sabres are favored by -1.5 in this Eastern conference contest against the Blue Jackets. The game's over/under currently sits at 6.5 goals.

BUFFALO SABRES VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Friday, February 23rd.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

  • Coming in as 1.5 goal favorites, our projections have the Sabres picking up a 4-3 win.
  • Take the Sabres on the moneyline
  • On the puck line, we like Blue Jackets (+1.5)

Can the Sabres Lock in a Road Win?

Buffalo comes into this game with a record of 25-27-4 and sit in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. On the road, the Sabres are 13-11-3 this season and have won four straight games away from home. Against other teams in the Eastern Conference, Buffalo is 14-19 this season.

Over their last ten games, the Sabres have gone 5-5 and have won three of their last five games. When playing as the favorite this season, Buffalo has gone 12-9-1.

Buffalo enters the game with an average scoring margin of -.1 goals per game and has a puck line record of 29-27. Their puck line record as the favorite is just 7-15, and they have gone 18-19 vs. the puck line in games decided by more than one goal.

So far, the Sabres have been the underdog in 34 games, going 22-12 vs. the puck line in those contests. Overall, Buffalo has gone 5-5 vs. the puck line in their last ten games and 2-3 vs. the puck line in their last five.

For the season, Buffalo's games have finished with an average of 6 goals per game. Their average over/under line for the season is 6.5. Overall, the Sabres have an over/under record of 23-31-2.

Across their last three road contests, Buffalo has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 3 goals per game.

In terms of their offensive performance, the Sabres are averaging 2.9 goals per game this season, putting them in the 21st spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 12th in the league. Buffalo's offense is currently ranked 27th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 19th in the league.

Buffalo's leading scorer is JJ Peterka. So far, he has 19 goals which is 60th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, Peterka has 18 assists this season.

Columbus defense takes on the Sabres ranked 8th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 33 shots per game against Columbus. They also are 29th in shutouts, with 1 shutouts.

Heading into this matchup vs. Columbus, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has started 29 games in this season. His current record is 15-14, and his save percentage stands at 0.757%.

Can the Blue Jackets Offense Score Enough at Home?

When playing at home this season, the Blue Jackets have gone 9-14-4 and have dropped their last two games at Nationwide Arena. In the Eastern Conference standings, Columbus is in 16th place and has a record of 18-27-10. Against other teams in the Metropolitan Division, the Blue Jackets are 3-13, and they have gone 9-25 against other Eastern Conference opponents.

Over their last ten games, Columbus has gone 4-6, and they are 2-3 in their last five games. When listed as the underdog, the Blue Jackets have gone 16-25-9 this season, and they have been the underdog in all but five of their games this year.

As the underdog, Columbus has a puck line record of 30-20 and their average scoring margin as the underdog is at -0.8 goals per game. So far, the Blue Jackets have had 22 losses by more than one goal, and their puck line record in their last ten home games is at 4-6.

So far this season, the Blue Jackets have an average scoring margin of -0.7 goals per game, and their puck line record is at 31-24. In their last five games, Columbus has gone 1-4 vs. the puck line, and their puck line record as the underdog is at 30-20.

For the season, the average number of goals per game in matchups featuring Columbus is 6.7. The season's average over/under line is currently at 6.5. The Blue Jackets come in with an over/under record of 28-24-3.

Across their last three road contests, Buffalo has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 3 goals per game.

Offensively, the Blue Jackets come into the game at 3 goals per contest placing 24th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 22nd position in the league. The Blue Jackets went 7-8 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 11-18.

Columbus' leading scorer is Boone Jenner. So far, he has 18 goals which is 76th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, Jenner has 8 assists this season.

Defensively, the Blue Jackets are currently 8th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 33 shots per game against Columbus. They also are 29th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Goalie Elvis Merzlikins gets the start and has made 31 starts this season. His record at this point is 10-12, and his save percentage is 0.832%.