Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Pick & Prediction 12/15/24

Looking to win big? The Sabres and Maple Leafs face off at 5:00 ET on ESPN+. The Maple Leafs are hosting the game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 6 goals and the Maple Leafs are the -1.5 favorite to win at home vs. the Sabres.

BUFFALO SABRES VS TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5

This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 5:00 ET on Sunday, December 15th.

WHY BET THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:

• With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Maple Leafs to secure a 4-3 victory.
• Take the Maple Leafs on the moneyline
• On the spread, we like Sabres (+1.5)

Can the Sabres Offense Score Enough in Toronto?

Buffalo fell to 11-15-4 after a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings. The Sabres had a 1-0 lead in the first period, but Detroit responded with two goals in the second. Buffalo was the underdog on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined 3 goals falling short of that mark.

Alex Tuch scored the Sabres’ only goal, finding the net at 11:39 in the first period. Buffalo’s defense couldn’t hold, though, as the Red Wings scored twice in the second period, both on the power play.

Buffalo’s offense was held to just one goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch scored his 5th goal of the season, coming shorthanded at 8:21 in the first period. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but were unable to find the net again.

Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and failed to score on the power play. Tuch led the team with 5 shots on goal, and his goal was unassisted.

Defensively, the Sabres will look to improve after giving up two second-period goals in their previous game against the Red Wings, both on the power play. However, they did keep the Red Wings off the scoresheet in the first and third periods. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense added 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Pressure Builds for Toronto as Home Favorites

Toronto’s latest game ended in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild, bringing their record to 18-10-2. The Maple Leafs were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6 goals, but the combined score reached only 3.

After falling behind in the first period, Toronto tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period, thanks to a goal from William Nylander. However, the Wild scored the game-winner 2:14 into overtime.

William Nylander netted his 9th goal of the season in the Maple Leafs’ recent game against the Wild, scoring on a power play at 19:08 in the first period. Toronto took 28 shots on goal but only managed to score once, marking the second straight game in which they’ve scored just one goal.

Auston Matthews picked up his 6th assist of the season, while Mitchell Marner added his 12th assist on Nylander’s goal. The Leafs had 10 giveaways in the game.

The Maple Leafs’ defense will look to bounce back after allowing the overtime winner to Minnesota just 2:14 into the extra frame. They had previously shut the Wild out after the first period, giving up the game’s first goal at 9:41 in the first. Goalie Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves with a 93.9% save percentage, while the defense contributed 2 takeaways and 30 hits.