The Bruins and Sabres will meet for the third time this season with the teams splitting the first two games and the road teams won both matchups. Both teams have been off since Saturday so they should be fresh coming into tonight. Here's our Bruins vs Sabres prediction and NHL Picks for 12/27.
Boston Bruins:
The Bruins, with a record of 19-7-6, come into this game after a loss to the Minnesota Wild. They've been scoring an average of 3.06 goals per game while conceding 2.66. Their power play success rate stands at 24.5%, and their penalty kill rate is at an impressive 85.8%.
Key players for the Bruins include David Pastrnak, who has racked up 44 points, including 20 goals and 24 assists. Brad Marchand has also been significant, contributing 28 points with 13 goals and 15 assists.
Injuries include players like Derek Forbort and Matt Grzelcyk.
Buffalo Sabres:
The Sabres, holding a 14-17-4 record, are coming off a 4-3 defeat against the New York Rangers. They average 3.03 goals per game and allow 3.43. The team's power play success rate is at 14.1%, with a penalty kill efficiency of 80.2%.
Casey Mittelstadt has been a standout player, scoring nine goals and providing 20 assists in 29 games. Rasmus Dahlin has also been critical, contributing 34 points with ten goals and 19 assists.
Zemgus Girgensons is currently out due to injury.
Game Prediction:
Despite some struggles and injuries, the Bruins are favored in this matchup. They have a strong record against the Sabres, winning 8 out of their last 10 meetings, and are likely to capitalize on Buffalo's weaknesses, particularly in offense and special teams.
The game could potentially see a high number of goals, as both teams have shown they can score, and recent meetings have tended to hit the over.
The Bruins are looking to bounce back from their recent loss and they should be confident against the Sabres who they have been dominating in recent matchups. Let's take Boston to win this one.
Bruins (-154)