New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, 1/31/2021 NHL Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres

Date: Sunday, January 31, 2021

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY

TV: NHL Network

Odds/Point Spread: Devils (+133) Sabres (-147)

KeyBank Center is the site where Carter Hutton and the Buffalo Sabres (3-3-2) will take on the New Jersey Devils (3-3-1) on Sunday. The odds on this matchup have the Devils priced at +133 and the Sabres are at -147. The O/U has been set at 6.

The Devils had a rough game after their 3 - 1 loss against the Flyers in their previous game. The Devils had a below average offensive outing in this loss. In the matchup, they netted 1 out of the 34 shots they put on net. They also had 4 power play attempts but weren't able to score a goal. New Jersey earned a total of 4 penalty mins for this outing. The Corsi for the Devils was 53 and the Corsi against at even strength was 32 which means they earned a Corsi percentage of 62.4%. Their Fenwick sat at 37 and the Fenwick against was 25, which tells us they had a Fenwick percentage of 59.7%. They took 12 face-off wins at even strength and lost 32 of the face-offs. The offensive zone starts for them were rated at 68.1% and they had a PDO of 85.9 in this one. When it comes to their opponent, the Philadelphia Flyers tallied 17 shots. Their total at the end of the game was 8 penalty minutes and they notched 2 power play chances.

With respect to their goal scoring prowess, the New Jersey Devils have earned 15 goals (26th in the NHL) this year and have allowed 18. For the year, they have tallied 7 points and their points percentage comes in at .500. New Jersey has tallied 18 power play chances and they have added 2 goals during those advantages, garnering them a rate of 11.11%. At even strength, the Devils have allowed 9 goals while scoring 13 on the offensive side of the ice. New Jersey has taken 196 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 7.7%. The Devils have had 226 shots tried against them and are the owners of a save percentage of .920. New Jersey Devils opponents have amassed 25 power play tries (20th in the league) and have tallied 8 goals in those chances.

The man protecting the goal in this game is Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood has participated in 73 games over the course of his NHL career. He has accumulated a mark of 34-24-9 and he has gotten the start in 67 games. The opposition has been able to score 185 goals against Blackwood in his pro hockey career and his average for goals against per game is 2.68. Blackwood has seen 2,236 shots taken against him and has recorded 2,051 saves. He has a save percentage of .917 in his 4,138 mins between the pipes. From the beginning of his pro career to now, Blackwood has 39 quality starts and his quality starts percentage sits at .582.

The Sabres squared up with the Rangers in a matchup where the Sabres ended up losing by a score of 3 - 2. Buffalo wound up with a 40.5% Corsi rating. That percentage was had by earning a Corsi of 32 while they gave up a Corsi of 47. They had a Fenwick percentage of 37.7% by notching a Fenwick of 23 and the Rangers earning a 38 Fenwick at even strength. This Corsi rating is telling of the kind of game that Buffalo had and it tells us that they didn't have their best game. Their PDO was 94.2 and they had an oZS percentage of 52.0%. The Sabres notched 2 goals out of the 25 shots on goal they tried. They had 4 power play opportunities in this game and scored 1 out of those opportunities. Concerning their opponent, the Rangers had 3 power play chances but were not able to score a goal. Buffalo gave up 39 shots on goal and the Rangers had a total of 10 minutes in the box.

Buffalo has put up 258 shots (7th in the NHL) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 8.53%, while allowing their opponents 233 shots. They have a penalty kill rate of 80.00% on the other teams 15 power play opportunities, and their save percentage is 8.5%. They have recorded 30 chances on the power play and they have earned a power play percentage of 30.00%. The Sabres have racked up 13 goals at even strength and 9 goals (5th in professional hockey) while having a power play advantage. They have allowed 23 goals to be scored by way of 20 goals at even strength and 3 goals while they were shorthanded. So far this season, the Buffalo Sabres are sitting with 22 goals, 8 points, in addition to a points percentage of .500.

Across the ice you will find Carter Hutton in the crease. Opponents are averaging 2.67 goals per contest and he has conceded 533 goals altogether. Hutton's quality start rate comes in at 50.8% and he has accumulated 99 quality starts in his pro hockey career. He got the starting nod in 195 games and has been on the ice for 11,975 minutes. Hutton is the owner of a lifetime record of 94-80-26 and has played in 222 games. He is sitting with 5,416 stops out of 5,949 shots attempted against him, giving him a percentage of .910.

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

Tony's Pick: Take New Jersey (+133)

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