Sabres vs Penguins Odds, Lines, and Best Bets
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are 1.5-goal favorites against the struggling Buffalo Sabres for their March 23, 2021 game in Pittsburgh
- The Sabres have lost 14 games in a row, and the Penguins are 7-2-1 in their last 10
- Here are the odds, lines, picks, and analysis for the game
The Pittsburgh Penguins (19-11-2) have six games remaining against the lowly Buffalo Sabres (6-20-4), and they could end up needing wins in most, if not all, of those games to earn a playoff spot in the tight East Division standings. The Pittsburgh are heavy favorites in the Sabres vs Penguins odds for Wednesday’s 8 PM EST (NBC Sports Network) meeting in Pittsburgh on March 24th. The Penguins are 2-0 against the Sabres this season.
Sitting in third place in the East Division with 24 games remaining, Penguins have 11 games left with Buffalo and the New Jersey Devils, the two lowest teams in the East standings. They only have two games each left against the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders, who are above them in the standings.
Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins Odds – March 24th
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | +225 | +1.5 (-109) | O 6.0 (+102) |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -275 | -1.5 (-109) | U 6.0 (-122) |
Odds taken March 23rd at DraftKings
Penguins Prefer to Be in Pittsburgh
Home is where the wins are for the Penguins this season. They are 12-3-1 at home while posting a 7-8-1 record on the road. The Penguins have only won three more games than the Sabres on the road.
With Sidney Crosby as the team’s No. 1 center, the Penguins are still an offensive force. They are averaging 3.03 goals per game, despite the fact that their power play is below average. They ranked 21st in the NHL with an 18.9% scoring efficiency.
Is Sidney Crosby the best bad angle shooter in the league? pic.twitter.com/KUfWfLTuvC
— 105.9 The X (@1059thex) March 21, 2021
The Penguins have received strong goaltending of late, with Tristan Jarry posting save percentages of .943, .914, .977, .913 and, .943 in his past five outings. Casey DeSmith has a .919 save percentage on the season.
Sabres’ Performance Level Has Been Dismal
The Sabres have given up 59 goals in their 14-game losing streak. That’s an average of 4.21 goals per game. They’ve given up five or more goals seven times in the past 10 games.
They rank dead last in offense with an average of 2.07 goals per game. They rank 29th in defense with a goals-against average of 3.47 goals per game.
Jack Eichel
Taylor Hall
Jeff SkinnerCombined salary = $27 million
Total goals = 6Connor McDavid
Leon Draisaitl
Ryan Nugent-HopkinsCombined salary = $27 million
Total goals = 50— Jesse Pollock (@jpolly22) March 22, 2021
The Sabres haven’t won in a month since beating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Feb. 23. Three of the Sabres’ six wins this season have come against the Devils
Malkin Injury Taking a Toll
The Penguins are playing their fourth consecutive game without star center Evgeni Malkin who is sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Malkin had been playing his best hockey of the season before injuring his right knee on March 18th after a collision with Boston defenseman Jarred Tinordi. Coach Mike Sullivan has said Malkin is out “week-to-week.”
Linus Ullmark is back on the ice with the team today 😁 pic.twitter.com/GRpZSqEkxq
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 23, 2021
Counting the game Malkin was injured, the Penguins have lost three of their last four, although they did pick up an extra point by losing to New Jersey in overtime on Sunday. With Malkin out, the Penguins have scored only seven goals in four games.
Buffalo goalie Linus Ullmark is on the injured reserve, although he is with the team on its road trip, meaning his return could be soon. Jack Eichel has also been out for Buffalo.
Sabres vs Penguins Best Bet
The Penguins have been struggling to score lately. But how can you trust a team that is 0-12-2 in their last 14 and owns a -42 goal-differential? The Penguins had won seven out of eight before Malkin went down.
This is an important game for the Penguins: Their .625 winning percentage is only fourth-best in the East Division. The Sabres are giving up so many goals it simply might be the time to bet the over on March 24th.
Pick: Over 6.0 (+102)
Kevin Allen has covered most major events, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final. He covered the NHL for USA Today from 1986-2020, receiving the Lester Patrick Award in 2013 and was honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 with the Elmer Ferguson Award.
