Sabres vs. Devils Odds
| Sabres Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -190 | 6.5 100o / -120u | +125 |
| Devils Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +160 | 6.5 100o / -120u | -150 |
On Friday we saw the New Jersey Devils defeat the Buffalo Sabres, 3-1, in Game 1 of the NHL Global Series in Prague.
Puck drop for Game 2 is scheduled this morning at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT), broadcast on the NHL Network. The Sabres, who have had a tumultuous 13 years, look for revenge as Devon Levi takes the crease against New Jersey's Jake Allen.
Here are our Sabres vs Devils picks and predictions for Saturday's early start.
Devils vs. Sabres Picks & Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
 | 10 a.m. | |
| 10 a.m. | |
| 10 a.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Sabres vs. Devils
We are getting a pretty decent discount on the Sabres in Game 2, and I don’t know if it makes much sense.
Buffalo closed at +124 or thereabouts ahead of Friday’s contest and gave a decent account of themselves in the season opener despite losing 4-1. The Devils were the sharper bunch out of the gates and took advantage, but it wasn’t a pummeling.
New Jersey just converted its chances, and Buffalo didn’t. Simple as that.
In fact, it would make more sense if this number actually moved toward Buffalo for the second half of the back-to-back since the goaltending matchup is a wash at worst.
Pick: Sabres ML (+134 or better)
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Sabres vs. Devils
By Greg Liodice
In his draft year, Zach Benson was my favorite prospect. He’s a special player with shifty speed, his head’s always on a swivel and he has silkier mitts than Egyptian cotton.
As an 18-year-old, he played the most NHL games out of the players in his draft class. With that, he registered 11 goals and 30 points and was third on the roster in Corsi with a 53.01 CF%.
He certainly won over coach Lindy Ruff as well. Prior to the Sabres taking off for Prague, Ruff highlighted Benson’s talent with a competitive fire akin to a 10-year veteran.
In his sophomore year, Benson has taken on a top-six role, playing on the second power-play unit, which offers Benson a bigger opportunity to get on the scoresheet.
Buffalo struggled in Game 1 against New Jersey, losing 3-1, as well as falling victim to a lights-out save from Jacob Markstrom. But do we see Markstrom again for Saturday’s game? I can’t see it, which means Sheldon Keefe turns to Jake Allen between the pipes.
If preseason is any indicator, Allen starting is a bad, bad sign for the Devils. In two games played, he’s playing to a putrid .800 SV%, allowing six goals on 30 shots.
After Friday's game, one would have to expect the Sabres to get off the schneid, and I think Benson will be a benefactor of it.
Pick: Zach Benson Anytime Goalscorer (+400)
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Sabres vs. Devils
By Nick Martin
The Sabres looked fairly lethargic in Game One of the Prague Series, and can't be happy with their overall performance.
As someone who touted the Sabres, I know I certainly wasn't. With that said, the Sabres performance would have looked a lot less pathetic if not for a brilliant performance in goal from Jacob Markstrom, who hid the fact that Buffalo did generate a fairly strong output of chances, even if that was partly driven by the score-line.
The vast majority of those chances went to Dylan Cozens, who had a game-high 11 shot attempts, as well as a game-high seven shots on goal. Cozens had some quality sequences working alongside Zach Benson at even strength, who is an intelligent playmaker and could help power a bounce-back season.
Chances are the Devils won't hand a back-to-back start to Jacob Markstrom in this matchup and will use backup Jake Allen on Saturday. That note should be news to the Sabres stars ears based on the way Markstrom dominated them today.
I'm high on Cozens and the Sabres second line having a productive season, and today's matchup certainly didn't change that thinking. At +325, I see value in backing Cozens to manage a similar performance and get rewarded with his first of the season.
Pick: Dylan Cozens Anytime Goalscorer (+325)
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