The Carolina Hurricanes (26-15-4) and the Buffalo Sabres (16-22-5) meet Wednesday at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (TNT / truTV / Max). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Hurricanes vs. Sabresodds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; Hurricanes won 2-1 in 2023-24
The Hurricanes won 2 of the 3 regular-season meetings in 2023-24, but only 1 game was decided in regulation, a 6-2 win in Raleigh by the Canes on Dec. 2, 2023. The Sabres won the only meeting in Buffalo in a shootout, 3-2 on Feb. 25, 2024, while the Canes also won 3-2 in OT on Nov. 7 at Lenovo Center (then PNC Arena). In fact, 3 of the past 4 meetings have been decided by a single goal.
Carolina was tripped up 3-2 in OT by the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Sunday as the Under (6) cashed. Still, the Hurricanes are a solid 5-2-2 in the past 9 games, collecting a respectable 12 out of a possible 18 points. The Under is 5-2 across the previous 7 outings.
Buffalo was roughed up 6-2 by the visiting Seattle Kraken Saturday as home favorites (-134) with the Over (6) cashing. The Sabres are just 2-3-1 in the past 6 games, while the Over is 11-4-2 in the past 17 outings.
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Hurricanes at Sabres odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 7:55 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Hurricanes -185 (bet $185 to win $100) | Sabres +150 (bet $100 to win $150)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Hurricanes -1.5 (+140) | Sabres +1.5 (-165)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Hurricanes at Sabres projected goalies
Pyotr Kochetkov (16-9-2, 2.54 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (13-13-4, 3.02 GAA, .896 SV%, 2 SO)
While Kochetkov is 10-3-1 with a 2.31 GAA and .908 SV% in 14 starts at home, he is just 6-6-1 with a 2.78 GAA and .894 SV% in 14 starts on the road. It’s not bad, but considerably worse. He won his only appearance against the Sabres last season, stopping 20 of 22 shots in a 6-2 win on Dec. 2, 2023 in Raleigh.
Luukkonen was pounded for 5 goals on 28 shots in the loss to the Kraken Saturday, and while he is 2-1-1 in 4 January starts, he has an alarming 3.43 GAA and subpar .884 SV%. His stats are buoyed by a 35-save shutout last Thursday in Ottawa.
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Hurricanes at Sabres picks and predictions
Prediction
Hurricanes 5, Sabres 3
Moneyline
The Hurricanes (-185) are a little on the pricey side for a standalone bet, costing you nearly 2 times your potential return. If you were to toss Carolina into a multi-leg parlay, or cross-sport parlay, that would be OK, but do not play it straight up. It’s too much risk for not nearly enough reward.
PASS.
Puck line/Against the spread
The HURRICANES -1.5 (+140) are a better value on the puck line, although be careful as the Sabres +1.5 (-165) have been a thorn in the side of Carolina. These teams have played 3 one-goal games in the past 4 meetings, and the Sabres have won 3 of the past 4 meetings at KeyBank Center, so be careful.
Over/Under
OVER 6 (-110) is the lean here, but don’t get carried away.
The Over is 6-3-1 in the past 10 meetings in this series, but the Under is 5-2 in the previous 7 outings for the Hurricanes. The total has gone low in 4 of the past 5 starts by Kochetkov, too.
For the Sabres, the Over and Under have alternated in the past 5 starts, with the total going high at an 11-4-2 clip across the previous 17 outings. The Over is also 6-1 in the past 7 home games for the Sabres.
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