Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, 2/23/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023

Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Sabres (+188) Lightning (-225)

The Buffalo Sabres (28-23-4) are headed to Amalie Arena on Thursday where they will attempt to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning (36-17-3). The moneyline on this matchup has the Sabres at +188 while the Lightning are at -225. The over/under comes in at 7.

The Buffalo Sabres were on the wrong end of the scoreboard with a 6-3 loss to the Maple Leafs in their previous game. Buffalo earned 6 penalty mins in this matchup. The Sabres offense showed they have some room for improvement in the defeat. Moreover, they had 1 power play chance but weren't able to score. In the game, they were able to notch a goal on 3 out of the 32 shots they launched.

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While at even strength, the Sabres have conceded 148 goals while scoring 156 on the offensive side of the ice. Buffalo Sabres opponents have recorded 161 power play opportunities (28th in the league) and have scored 44 goals in those chances. In relation to their goal scoring prowess, the Buffalo Sabres have notched 203 goals (4th in hockey) on the year and have conceded 192. Buffalo has tried 1,783 shots and has a shooting percentage of 11.4%. For the current season, they have racked up 60 points and their points percentage is sitting at .545. The Sabres have had 1,786 shots taken against them and have a save percentage of .892. Buffalo comes into tonight with 189 power play opportunities and they have added 47 goals out of those attempts, giving them a percentage of 24.87%.

The player in the crease for this game is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. For his career, Luukkonen has accumulated 16 quality starts and his rate for quality starts is .432. His save percentage is at .900 for his 2,124 mins guarding the cage. Luukkonen has seen 1,202 shot attempts against him and has garnered 1,082 total saves. Opponents have been able to score 120 goals against Luukkonen in his professional career and his goals against average is 3.39. He has amassed an overall mark of 17-16-4 and he started in 37 games. Luukkonen has been in goal for 37 contests during his professional hockey career.

Their last time out, Tampa Bay faced off against the Ducks in a matchup where the Lightning took home the victory by a mark of 6-1. They had 5 power play chances in this one and converted 2 out of those opportunities. The Lightning tallied 6 goals of the 44 shots on goal they took.

The Lightning have tallied 149 goals at even strength and 50 goals (4th in pro hockey) while having a power play advantage. Tampa Bay has taken 1,814 shots (17th in hockey) and has accumulated a shot percentage of 10.97%, while allowing their opponents 1,750 shots. This season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have notched a total of 199 goals, 75 points, and a points percentage of .670. They have allowed 161 goals to be scored by way of 128 goals at even strength and 33 goals while they were shorthanded. They have earned 194 power play opportunities and they have accumulated a power play percentage of 25.77%. They have a penalty kill rate of 81.46% on their opponents 178 power play tries, and their save percentage currently comes in at 90.8%.

On the other side of the ice you are likely to see Andrei Vasilevskiy protecting the goal. Vasilevskiy has accumulated a career record of 256-115-25 and has been in goal for 407 games. Vasilevskiy's quality start percentage comes out to 57.7% and he has 229 quality starts in his career. He is sitting with 11,349 stops out of the 12,347 shots taken against him, giving him a save % of .919. His opponents are averaging 2.50 goals/game and he has allowed 998 goals altogether. He has made the start in 397 contests and has been on the ice for 23,909 minutes.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-225)

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