The NHL is giving us a ten-game slate on Tuesday, February 28, including this conference duel in Buffalo, and here you can get the best Blue Jackets vs. Sabres betting pick and odds.

Buffalo is looking for the fourth consecutive victory when they welcome Columbus at KeyBank Center. The Sabres are -233 moneyline favorites on MyBookie Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These conference rivals will meet for the second time this season; the Sabres won 9-4 in Columbus.

Blue Jackets couldn’t get an edge against Minnesota

The Columbus Blue Jackets (19-35-5-1, 30-30 ATS) opened their two-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. The Blue Jackets did have a 2-0 lead but earned just a point in the end, failing to record their second win in a row after previously securing a 6-5 home W over the Edmonton Oilers. Columbus still has the weakest record in the entire NHL as they collected 44 points, 22 behind the Sabres.

Mathieu Olivier and Liam Foudy scored for the Jackets against Minnesota and gave their team a 2-0 lead early in the second period. However, the Wild controlled the tilt from that point and managed to score a pair of goals in the final frame to force overtime and then win in OT. Elvis Merzlikins had one of his best displays of the season with 41 saves. So far this year, Johnny Gaudreau is the lone Columbus player among the top 100 in the NHL with 54 points (G 15, A 39).

Joonas Korpisalo (11-11-3) is taking his place in the cage against Buffalo on Tuesday. The 28-year-old is surrendering 3.17 goals per game this season with a .913 SV% and no shutouts.

RW Jakub Voracek (concussion), LW Gustav Nyquist (upper body), D Zach Werenski (shoulder), and D Jake Bean (upper body) are out indefinitely.

Sabres’ offense erupted in a win over the Capitals

The Buffalo Sabres (31-23-3-1, 33-25) returned home from a two-game road trip with a couple of victories over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers and then made it three in a row with a 7-4 win against the Washington Capitals. The Sabres scored 16 goals in those three wins and are expected to be efficient once again when they welcome the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Right now, Buffalo is 9th in the Eastern Conference with 66 points.

The Sabres scored four goals in the space of just seven minutes in the second period against Washington. Dylan Cozens had the best game of his career as he scored three goals with an assist to lead his team with four points. Vinnie Hinostroza, Casey Mittelstadt, and Jack Quinn registered two points apiece. This season, Tage Thompson is Buffalo’s top producer on offense with 79 points (G 40, A 39) and is the fifth-best player in the NHL. Alex Tuch has 62 (G 28, A 34), and Rasmus Dahlin chips in 62 points (G 14, A 48).

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (15-8-2) is a probable goaltender against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The 23-year-old is allowing 3.57 goals per game with a .893 SV% and no shutouts.

RW Alex Tuch (lower body) is out indefinitely, while D Rasmus Dahlin was held out of the last contest with an unknown injury, and it remains to be seen if he will take on the Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Trends:

Columbus:

  • 1-8 in the last nine in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation
  • 2-9 in the last 11 vs. Atlantic Division rivals

Buffalo:

  • 5-1 in the last six overall
  • 4-0 in the last four after scoring five goals or more in their previous game
  • 5-1 in the last six in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation
  • 7-2 in the last nine games playing on one day of rest

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Buffalo Sabres Pick

Even if they play without two of their three top offensive producers Tuch and Dahlin, I am still backing the Sabres to beat the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Buffalo proved that they can outscore much more serious teams than Columbus and is not a coincidence the Sabres have the second-best offense in the NHL that is scoring 3.78 goals per game. Columbus, on the other hand, has the least efficient offense in the league that averages 2.47 goals per contest. The Blue Jackets also have a weaker defense than Buffalo, and I am going with the hosts to get a comfortable W here.

Pick: Take the Sabres at -1.5 Puck Line (+112)

The Total

Buffalo scored at least three goals in each of the last six games, and although the Blue Jackets improved defensively a bit recently, I don’t think they will manage to keep the hosts below four goals in this one. After all, the Sabres scored a season-high nine goals in the previous H2H duel, and even though I don’t expect another 9-goal showing from the Sabres, I do believe they will score four or five without trouble. Over is 5-0 in the last five H2H meetings; Over is 6-2 in the Sabres’ previous eight overall, while Over is 4-1 in Buffalo’s last five home games.Pick: Go Over 6.5 goals (-110)