Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Pick & Prediction 3/6/25
The Sabres and Lightning are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN. The Lightning will host the game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. This Atlantic division matchup has an over/under of 6.5 goals, and the Lightning are favored by -1.5 at home vs. the Sabres.
BUFFALO SABRES VS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING BETTING PICK
The Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5
This game will be played at Amalie Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, March 6th.
WHY BET THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING:
- With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Lightning to secure a 4-3 victory.
- Take the Lightning on the moneyline
- On the spread, we like Sabres (+1.5)
Will the Sabres Defense Show Up on the Road?
Buffalo’s 2-1 loss to the Red Wings dropped their record to 24-30-6. The Sabres were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.
Buffalo scored first, with Alex Tuch finding the net at 11:39 in the first period. However, the Red Wings responded with two goals in the second period to secure the win.
Buffalo’s offense was limited to a single goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch netted his 5th goal of the season, scoring on a shorthanded play at 8:21 in the first period. The Sabres took 32 shots on goal but were unable to convert any of them after Tuch’s early strike.
Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and failed to score on the power play. Tuch led the team with 5 shots on goal.
Buffalo’s defense gave up two goals, both in the second period, leading to a 2-1 loss to Detroit. Despite the defeat, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen posted a 91.3% save percentage with 21 saves. The Sabres’ defense also contributed 5 takeaways and 17 hits. Both goals allowed came on Red Wings power plays, at 7:49 and 14:38 of the second period.
Do the Lightning Stand a Chance at Home?
Tampa Bay fell to 36-21-4 after a 7-4 loss to the Jets. The Lightning were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the 11 combined goals easily surpassing that mark.
The Lightning held a 2-0 lead early in the game, but the Jets responded with seven of the next nine goals. Four different players scored for Tampa Bay in the loss.
Brandon Hagel got the Lightning on the board with his 7th goal of the season, followed by Brayden Point, who netted his 8th on a power play. Mitchell Chaffee added his 4th goal, and Nikita Kucherov, who now has 10 goals this season, scored Tampa Bay’s final goal in the 3rd period.
The Lightning fired 30 shots on goal and recorded 8 giveaways. They had 4 assists in the game, with Jake Guentzel picking up his 8th assist of the season.
Despite taking a 4-3 lead in the 3rd period, Tampa Bay’s defense struggled late, giving up four goals to the Jets, including two empty-netters. Jonas Johansson made 27 saves with an 84.4% save percentage, while the defense added 6 takeaways and 16 hits.