Minnesota Wild at Buffalo Sabres Expert NHL Picks Against the Spread 2/5/2019

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

KeyBank Center

Get todays NHL hockey odds on this game.

The Minnesota Wild travel to KeyBank Center to play the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. The opening line for this game has the Wild at -105 and the Sabres at -115.

Minnesota has a record of 26-22-4 this season. They are 4th in the Central Division. They've scored 146 goals and given up 149 goals for a point differential of -3. For the season they have an ATS record of 26-26-0 and an over/under record of 22-25-0. Buffalo is 25-20-6 this season. They are 5th in the Atlantic Division. They have scored 148 goals and surrendered 156 for a goal differential of -8. Their record against the spread is 25-26-0 while their over/under record is 28-22-0.

Valuable Minnesota Wild Betting Trends

The Minnesota Wild are 26-26-0 straight up this year

The Minnesota Wild are 22-25-0 against the over/under this season

Important Buffalo Sabres Betting Trends

The Buffalo Sabres are 25-26-0 straight up this year

The Buffalo Sabres are 28-22-0 against the over/under this season

Key Minnesota Wild Injuries

12/17/18 D Matt Dumba Upper Body is out indefinitely
02/02/19 LW Pontus Aberg Lower Body left last game, is questionable Saturday vs Chicago

Key Buffalo Sabres Injuries

12/07/18 D Casey Nelson Upper Body is out indefinitely
02/03/19 GO Carter Hutton Illness is questionable Tuesday vs Minnesota
02/03/19 D Matt Hunwick Lower Body is questionable Tuesday vs Minnesota

Player Spotlight

Jason Zucker has accumulated 26 total points this season for the Wild. He has 14 goals this year with 138 shots on goal, giving him a shooting percentage of 10%. He has a total of 12 assists on the season and averages 17.1 minutes played per game. Zach Parise averages 18.3 minutes of ice time per game this year. In that time he has a shooting percentage of 13% by scoring 20 goals on 160 shots. He has 25 assists, giving him a total of 45 points on the season. Devan Dubnyk has 20 wins and 17 losses this season in net for the Wild. He has 1,182 shots against him and he's given up 102 goals. He's made 1,080 saves for a save percentage of 91%.

Player Spotlight

Sam Reinhart has scored 45 total points this year for the Sabres. He has 12 goals this season with 108 shots on goal, giving him a shooting percentage of 11%. He has a total of 33 assists on the season and averages 18.6 minutes played per game. Jeff Skinner averages 18.6 minutes of ice time per game. In that time he has a shooting percentage of 19% by scoring 31 goals on 167 shots. He has 16 assists, giving him a total of 47 points on the season. Carter Hutton has 15 wins and 15 losses this year in goal for the Sabres. He has 991 shots against him and he's surrendered 90 goals. He's made 901 saves for a save percentage of 91%.

Useful Team Statistics

The Wild have 56 total points this season, which ranks them 17th in the NHL. They are 25th in the league in goals scored with 146 while they've given up 149 goals, ranking them 22nd overall. They have had 154 power play opportunities and have scored 33 goals on those chances for a percentage of 21%. That is 10th in the NHL. The Wild have allowed 158 power play opportunities and have given up 26 goals on those chances for a penalty kill percentage of 84%, putting them 5th in the league when short-handed. They average 31 shots per game and as a team shoot 9.04% for the season. They allow 29 shots to their opposition per contest and have a team save percentage of 90%. That puts them 16th in the league in stopping the puck.

Useful Team Statistics

The Sabres are 15th in the NHL with a total of 56 points this year. They have 26 power play goals on 153 opportunities for a percentage of 17%. That ranks them 22nd in the league as a power play unit. They've allowed 140 power play opportunities and have given up 25 goals on those chances for a penalty kill percentage of 82%. That is 8th in the NHL. As a team, the Sabres are 23rd in the league with 148 goals scored while they've given up 156 goals, which is 16th overall. They average 33 shots per contest and have a team shooting percentage of 8.92%. As a team they give up 33 shots per game and have a save percentage of 91%. That is 9th in the NHL.

Advanced Statistics

Minnesota is 18th in the NHL in Corsi percentage with 49.5%, as they've attempted 2,916 shots on net at full strength while they've given up 2,978 shots on net in the same situations. Their Fenwick percentage is 50.1% as they have 2,188 attempts while they have given up 2,179 shots on the defensive end. That ranks them 16th in the league. The Wild start possessions in the offensive zone 50.8% of the time, which is 16th in the league, while their defensive zone percentage is at 49.2% for the season. That is 16th overall in the NHL. They have 1,588 face-off wins compared to 1,563 losses, meaning their face-off win percentage is 50.4%. That ranks them 13th in the league. On defense Minnesota has 1,024 hits and they have blocked 799 shots from the opposition, putting them 4th overall.

Advanced Statistics

The Sabres are 14th in the league in starting possessions in the offensive zone, doing so 50.9% of the time. Their defensive zone percentage is at 49.1% for the season, which is 17th in the NHL. They have 1,508 face-off wins compared to 1,590 losses, meaning their face-off win percentage is 48.7%. That is 23rd in the league. On defense Buffalo has 927 hits and they have blocked 632 shots from the opposition, which is 30th in the league. Buffalo is 16th in the NHL in Corsi percentage with 49.9% as they've attempted 2,894 shots on net at full strength while they've given up 2,907 shots on net in the same situations. Their Fenwick percentage of 49.8% ranks 18th as they have 2,260 attempts while they have given up 2,275 shots on the defensive end.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Buffalo -115

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