Minnesota Wild vs Buffalo Sabres Betting Pick & Prediction for Saturday, January 17

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Minnesota Wild will travel to KeyBank Center to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The game will start at 12:30 PM and will be broadcast on NHLN. Both teams have strong records, with the Wild standing at 26-13-9 and the Sabres at 26-16-4.

John Hynes leads the Wild as they aim to climb higher in the Western Central Division. Meanwhile, Lindy Ruff and the Sabres look to improve their standing in the Eastern Atlantic Division. With both teams having similar records, this game could be competitive and exciting for fans.

Wild vs Sabres Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres
  • Venue: KeyBank Center
  • Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Buffalo Sabres MoneyLine -131, Minnesota Wild MoneyLine +110

Minnesota Wild Team Preview

The Minnesota Wild are coming off a tough stretch of games. They recently lost to the Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders. Their sole win in the last five games was against the Seattle Kraken, with a 3-2 score.

Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 25 goals and 27 assists this season. Matt Boldy is close behind with 27 goals and 24 assists. Both players are key in the Wild’s offense.

On defense, Filip Gustavsson has been busy in goal. He has made 727 saves this season in 29 games. The Wild will look to tighten up their defense to support him in upcoming games.

Buffalo Sabres Team Preview

The Buffalo Sabres are on a strong run at home. They recently won against the Montreal Canadiens with a score of 5-3. Tage Thompson was a key player, scoring three goals and assisting twice in that game.

In a prior game, the Sabres defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. They managed two power play goals and had 27 hits. Rasmus Dahlin contributed two goals in that win.

Earlier, the Sabres faced the Florida Panthers and lost by a narrow margin of 4-3. They recorded 23 shots on goal during that game. Zach Benson and Jacob Bryson each scored a goal for Buffalo.

BTB Betting Pick

For the moneyline pick, the Buffalo Sabres are favored at -131. The Minnesota Wild are the underdogs with a moneyline of +110. With Buffalo’s better skater stats, especially in goals and assists, the Sabres are likely to win. The projected score is Buffalo 4, Minnesota 3.

For the over/under pick, the line is set at 6.0. Both teams have strong offensive stats, suggesting a high-scoring game. Considering the projected score of 4-3, the over at -122 is a solid choice. This game could see a total over 6 goals.