Washington Capitals vs Buffalo Sabres Betting Pick & Prediction 1/6/25

Planning on watching today’s Capitals and Sabres game? Catch the action at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, as the Sabres hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on NHLN. The Capitals come into this Eastern conference matchup as the -1.5 goal favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 6 goals.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS BUFFALO SABRES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Buffalo Sabres +1.5

This game will be played at KeyBank Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, January 6th.

WHY BET THE BUFFALO SABRES:

• Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Sabres to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.
• We like the Sabres on the moneyline (+125)
• The Sabres are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Can Washington Deliver Being Favored on the Road?

After a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now stand at 26-10-3. Washington’s defense struggled, allowing 44 shots on goal, while the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

The Capitals were behind early but took the lead with two goals in the first period. However, the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Washington’s offense was held to just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Carolina. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime added his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal and registered 15 giveaways.

Both of Washington’s goals came in the first period, with Duhaime scoring at 19:49 after Ovechkin’s earlier goal at 19:16. John Carlson picked up his 7th assist on Ovechkin’s goal, and Dylan Strome recorded his 13th assist.

Defensively, the Capitals will be looking to bounce back after allowing four goals to the Hurricanes. They had taken a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, but they gave up two goals in the second period and another in the third. Despite the loss, Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves and posted a 93.2% save percentage. The defense also finished with 20 hits, 2 takeaways, and 16 blocks.

Does Buffalo Have What it Takes at Home?

After a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres now sit at 14-21-5 for the season. Buffalo held a 1-0 lead after the first period, but Detroit responded with two unanswered goals in the second.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for only 3. As underdogs on the puck line, Buffalo failed to cover. The Sabres’ lone goal came from Alex Tuch, who scored at 8:21 in the first period.

Buffalo’s offense managed 32 shots on goal but only found the net once in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch scored his 5th goal of the season, an unassisted, shorthanded effort 8:21 into the first period.

The Sabres recorded 13 giveaways and were unable to convert on any power play opportunities. Tuch took 5 shots on goal, leading the team in that category.

Buffalo’s defense had a strong first and third period, but they gave up two goals in the second, both on the power play. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense recorded 5 takeaways and 17 hits.