The Florida Panthers will host the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night in an important Atlantic Division matchup. Both teams are coming off losses in their last game, with the Panthers looking to snap a three-game losing streak at home. Before this division matchup unfolds in the NHL, continue reading to get my breakdown of the action, including my Sabres vs Panthers prediction.
Our Sabres vs Panthers Pick
Florida Panthers moneyline ATS PRO
Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers
- Date & Time: Monday, February 2, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
- Recent form: Buffalo enters off a loss in their last game that snapped a streak of five straight victories. Buffalo was outscored 4-2 by the Montreal Canadiens in that game and they will try to bounce back here. Florida has dropped three straight games coming into this matchup and those three losses have all come in regulation. The Panthers will try to get their first point in about a week here.
- Goaltending: Indications point to Sergei Bobrovsky likely getting the crease for Florida. Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was listed as out until later in the week. If he does not dress, the visitors are likely to pivot to Alex Lyon. Lyon has better numbers than Bobrovsky so far this season, but Bobrovsky has championship-level experience and he will try to use that to lead his team to a win in this one.
- Key skaters: Buffalo’s Tage Thompson enters with 56 points on 28 goals and 28 assists, while Rasmus Dahlin continues to initiate offense from the blue line with 33 assists. Florida’s Sam Reinhart sits at 52 points with 27 goals and 25 assists and remains a primary weapon on the right flank of the first unit. Florida’s lineup notes also include Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell listed as day-to-day, while Seth Jones remains on long-term injured reserve.
Betting Trends & H2H
- These teams are 1-1 against each other so far this season, with those first two meetings being held in Buffalo.
- The over/under is 1-1 in games between these teams this season.
- Buffalo is 31-22 in the puckline market going into this contest.
- Florida is 19-35 on the puckline entering Monday night.
Sabres vs Panthers Model Projection
Score Projection: Buffalo Sabres 3 – Florida Panthers 4
Win Probability: Buffalo Sabres 47%, Florida Panthers 53%
Final Thoughts
Florida should win this game by a whisker. Home ice, a likely nod to Bobrovsky in goal, and the Panthers’ ability to control the puck should offset Buffalo’s hot top line just enough. I recommend taking the Panthers to win this contest on the moneyline in a game that I project as a one-goal game in what should be a competitive Atlantic Division game.
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