Los Angeles Kings vs Buffalo Sabres Betting Pick & Prediction 10/10/24
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Kings versus the Sabres? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Kings are favored by -1.5 goals in this non-conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6.5 goals.
LOS ANGELES KINGS VS BUFFALO SABRES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Buffalo Sabres +1.5
This game will be played at KeyBank Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, October 10th.
WHY BET THE BUFFALO SABRES:
- Even though they are 1.5 goal underdogs, we see the Sabres winning this game by a score of 4-2.
- We like the Sabres on the moneyline (-108)
- The Sabres are also our pick on the spread at +1.5
Pressure Builds for Los Angeles as Away Favorites
Los Angeles finished last season with a 44-27-11 record, placing them 3rd in the Pacific Division with a 15-11 mark in divisional games. In the Western Conference, they went 27-23, ranking 7th. The Kings were 22-15-4 on the road and 22-12-7 at home.
As favorites, the Kings were 32-18-7, but their puck line record was 22-35. As underdogs, they went 9-9-4 straight-up and 7-18 against the puck line. Their over/under record was 31-48-3, with their games averaging 5.7 goals.
Last season, the Kings were middle of the pack offensively, ranking 15th in goals and assists. They averaged 3.1 goals per game. Despite this, they were 9th in shots on goal, averaging 31.9 per game, suggesting they had some bad luck converting chances.
One area where the Kings excelled was shorthanded goals, finishing 3rd in the NHL. Their power play was also strong, ranking 10th in the league.
Last season, the Kings allowed 2.5 goals per game, ranking 4th in the NHL. They faced 27.9 shots on goal per game, also 4th, and recorded seven shutouts, the 2nd most in the league. Despite ranking 29th in takeaways and 20th in defensive hits, Los Angeles was one of the top defensive units in the NHL.
Is an Upset Waiting to Happen at Home?
Buffalo dropped to 0-2-0 after a 3-1 loss to the Devils. The Sabres were underdogs on the puck line and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.
Buffalo scored first, with Tage Thompson finding the net at 8:18 in the second period. However, the Devils responded with three unanswered goals. The Sabres managed only 18 shots on goal, while allowing 37.
Buffalo’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to New Jersey, managing just 18 shots on goal and 17 giveaways. Tage Thompson netted his first goal of the season at 8:18 in the second period, giving the Sabres a 1-0 lead.
Jordan Greenway and Alex Tuch each picked up their first assists on Thompson’s goal. Buffalo was shut out in the first and third periods.
Buffalo’s defense gave up the tying goal at 8:01 in the second period and two more in the third, resulting in a 3-1 loss to the Devils. Devon Levi made 34 saves with a 91.9% save percentage. The Sabres’ defense also recorded 4 takeaways and 25 hits.