Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres NHL Tips 3/31/2019

Sunday, March 31, 2019

KeyBank Center

Get todays NHL hockey odds on this game.

The Columbus Blue Jackets travel to KeyBank Center to play the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, March 31, 2019. The opening line for this game has the Blue Jackets at -185 and the Sabres at +150.

Columbus has a record of 43-30-4 this season. They are 5th in the Metropolitan Division. They have scored 237 goals and given up 219 goals for a point differential of +18. For the season they have an ATS record of 43-34-0 and an over/under record of 28-43-0. Buffalo has a record of 31-36-10 this year. They are 6th in the Atlantic Division. They've scored 206 goals and surrendered 253 for a goal differential of -47. Their record against the spread is 31-46-0 while their over/under record is 41-33-0.

Valuable Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Trends

The Columbus Blue Jackets are 43-34-0 straight up this year

The Columbus Blue Jackets are 28-43-0 against the over/under this season

Important Buffalo Sabres Betting Trends

The Buffalo Sabres are 31-46-0 straight up this year

The Buffalo Sabres are 41-33-0 against the over/under this season

Key Columbus Blue Jackets Injuries

03/29/19 D Adam McQuaid Concussion is downgraded to out Saturday vs Nashville
03/21/19 LW Nick Foligno Personal is out indefinitely
02/21/19 D Ryan Murray Upper Body is out indefinitely

Key Buffalo Sabres Injuries

03/29/19 D Rasmus Ristolainen Illness is downgraded to out Saturday vs NY Islanders
03/28/19 LW Evan Rodrigues Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs NY Islanders
03/28/19 D Jake McCabe Upper Body is questionable Saturday vs NY Islanders
03/28/19 D Matt Hunwick Upper Body is questionable Saturday vs NY Islanders
03/28/19 D Matt Tennyson Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs NY Islanders

Player Spotlight

Sergei Bobrovsky has 34 wins and 23 losses this season in net for the Blue Jackets. He has 1,643 shots against him and he's given up 145 goals. He's made 1,498 saves for a save percentage of 91%. Cam Atkinson has accumulated 66 total points this season for the Blue Jackets. He has 39 goals this year with 273 shots on goal, giving him a shooting percentage of 14%. He has a total of 27 assists on the season and averages 19.5 minutes played per game. Artemi Panarin averages 19.9 minutes of ice time per game this year. In that time he has a shooting percentage of 15% by scoring 27 goals on 180 shots. He has 52 assists, giving him a total of 79 points on the season.

Player Spotlight

Jeff Skinner has scored 60 total points this year for the Sabres. He has 37 goals this season with 256 shots on goal, giving him a shooting percentage of 15%. He has a total of 23 assists on the season and averages 18.6 minutes played per game. Carter Hutton has 17 wins and 23 losses this year in goal for the Sabres. He has 1,445 shots against him and he's surrendered 132 goals. He's made 1,313 saves for a save percentage of 91%. Sam Reinhart averages 18.9 minutes of ice time per game. In that time he has a shooting percentage of 12% by scoring 20 goals on 170 shots. He has 42 assists, giving him a total of 62 points on the season.

Useful Team Statistics

The Blue Jackets have allowed 196 power play opportunities and have given up 30 goals on those chances for a penalty kill percentage of 85% this year. That is 3rd in the NHL. They average 31 shots per game and as a team shoot 9.79% for the season. They allow 29 shots to their opposition per contest and have a team save percentage of 90%, which is ranked 16th in the league. The Blue Jackets have 90 total points this season, ranking 13th in the NHL in offense. They are 12th in the league with 237 goals while they've given up 219 goals, which is 21st overall. They have had 208 power play opportunities and scored 32 goals on those chances for a percentage of 15%. That is 28th in the NHL.

Useful Team Statistics

As a team, the Sabres are 25th with 206 goals scored while they are 7th in the NHL with 253 goals allowed this year. They average 33 shots per contest and have a team shooting percentage of 8.17%. They give up 33 shots per game and have a save percentage of 90%, putting them in 21st place in the league. The Sabres have a total of 72 points this year, which is 26th in the NHL. They have 41 power play goals on 223 opportunities for a percentage of 18%. That ranks their power play unit 18th. They've allowed 202 power play opportunities and have given up 40 goals on those chances for a penalty kill percentage of 80%, which is 17th overall.

Advanced Statistics

Columbus is 10th in the NHL in Corsi percentage with 50.8%, as they've attempted 4,281 shots on net at full strength while they've given up 4,154 shots on net in the same situations. Their Fenwick percentage is 51.6% as they have 3,328 attempts while they have given up 3,127 shots on the defensive end. That ranks them 9th in the league. The Blue Jackets start possessions in the offensive zone 51.7% of the time, which is 13th in the league, while their defensive zone percentage is at 48.3% for the season. That is 20th overall in the NHL. They have 2,274 face-off wins compared to 2,271 losses, meaning their face-off win percentage is 50%. That ranks them 16th in the league. On defense Columbus has 1,653 hits and they have blocked 1,027 shots from the opposition, putting them 25th overall.

Advanced Statistics

The Sabres are 16th in the league in starting possessions in the offensive zone, doing so 51.1% of the time. Their defensive zone percentage is at 48.9% for the season, which is 15th in the NHL. They have 2,198 face-off wins compared to 2,398 losses, meaning their face-off win percentage is 47.8%. That is 27th in the league. On defense Buffalo has 1,462 hits and they have blocked 955 shots from the opposition, which is 31st in the league. Buffalo is 14th in the NHL in Corsi percentage with 50% as they've attempted 4,380 shots on net at full strength while they've given up 4,381 shots on net in the same situations. Their Fenwick percentage of 50% ranks 14th as they have 3,422 attempts while they have given up 3,426 shots on the defensive end.

Who will win tonight's Blue Jackets/Sabres NHL game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Buffalo +150

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