New Jersey Devils @ Buffalo Sabres - February 2, 2025

As the New Jersey Devils prepare to face off against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, we’re looking at an intriguing matchup between two teams with contrasting trends. The Devils come into this game as -145 moneyline favorites, and I believe they will emerge victorious.

The Devils have shown a solid record of 26-15-5, but there’s a caveat: they’ve struggled against the spread lately, going just 2-13 in their last 15 games. However, their recent performance speaks volumes; they dominated the Flyers with a decisive 5-0 win in their last outing. This showcases not only their offensive capabilities but also their defensive prowess—New Jersey boasts an impressive save percentage of 90.3%, which is among the best in the league.

On the other hand, while Buffalo has found some rhythm recently with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Nashville, their overall record stands at a less-than-stellar 16-22-5. The Sabres’ offense averages about 3.167 goals per game and has been relatively productive in generating shots (27.958). Yet, when you dig deeper into their stats—particularly their shooting percentage of just 12%—it reveals that they may struggle to convert chances against stronger defenses like New Jersey’s.

Buffalo’s power play sits at a modest 16.78%, which could be problematic given that New Jersey excels on the penalty kill with an efficiency rate of 82.64%. If Buffalo finds themselves needing to rely on special teams to generate scoring opportunities, it may not yield favorable results.

Defensively, Buffalo allows approximately three goals per game and has a penalty kill percentage below average at around 77%. This could be detrimental against a potent Devils power play that operates at an impressive rate of nearly 29%. The Sabres need to tighten up defensively if they hope to contain New Jersey’s offensive firepower.

In terms of pace and style of play, both teams are relatively balanced in terms of zone time; however, New Jersey holds an edge with slightly better corsi percentages (53.578% compared to Buffalo’s 50.417%). This suggests that the Devils are more effective at controlling puck possession and creating quality scoring opportunities.

Given these insights and statistical trends leading up to this matchup, I predict that New Jersey will not only secure the win but also cover the spread despite recent struggles against it. As for total goals scored? I expect it will stay under six since both teams have exhibited tendencies toward lower-scoring affairs lately—with New Jersey having gone UNDER in nearly three-fourths of their last games.

In summary: look for a strong performance from New Jersey tonight as they aim for another win while keeping things tight on defense—ultimately leading us towards an UNDER outcome for total goals scored as well!