Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

Looking to win big? The Sabres and Islanders face off at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The Islanders are hosting the game at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. The odds for this Eastern conference game currently have the Islanders as the -1.5 goal favorite with the over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals.

BUFFALO SABRES VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Islanders -1.5

This game will be played at UBS Arena at 7:30 ET on Monday, December 23rd.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS:

• Even though they are considered 1.5-goal underdogs, our projection points to a 4-3 win for the Sabres.
• We like the Sabres on the moneyline (+132)
• The Sabres are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Will the Sabres Find a Way to Win on the Road?

After a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres fell to 11-19-4. Buffalo led early with a short-handed goal from Alex Tuch, but Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second period.

The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. Buffalo, as the underdog on the puck line, didn’t cover. They’re now 0-1 in their last game.

Buffalo took 32 shots on goal but only managed one score in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch netted his fifth goal of the season, coming on a shorthanded play 8:21 into the first period.

The Sabres had 13 giveaways and didn’t record any assists. They were shut out in both the second and third periods.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, but Buffalo’s defense allowed two second-period goals, both on the power play, leading to a 2-1 loss to Detroit. The Sabres’ defense finished with 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Taking a Look at the Islanders Chances at Home

The Islanders dropped to 13-14-7 after a 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Going into the game, the total was set at 6 goals, and the combined 7 goals surpassed that figure. The Islanders, as the underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover.

New York fell behind 2-0 before Casey Cizikas scored at 15:22 in the second period. The Islanders added another goal in the second, but the Rangers pulled away with two more goals in the third, including an empty-netter.

The Islanders fired 37 shots on goal in their 5-2 loss to the Rangers but only found the net twice. Casey Cizikas scored for the first time this season, while Brock Nelson added his fifth goal, coming with just 8 seconds left in the second period.

New York had 23 giveaways and was held scoreless in the first and third periods. The Islanders registered 4 assists, with Simon Holmstrom picking up his fourth of the season.

Defensively, the Islanders gave up the first goal just 3:44 into the game and allowed two more in the 3rd period, including an empty-netter. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves with an 89.7% save percentage, while the defense added 12 takeaways and 17 hits.