Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, 2/28/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG Network

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (+165) Sabres (-200)

The Columbus Blue Jackets (19-35-6) are headed to KeyBank Center on Tuesday where they will go up against the Buffalo Sabres (31-23-4). The odds on this game have the Blue Jackets at +165 and the Sabres are priced at -200. The over/under has been set at 7.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will look for better times on the ice after their 3-2 defeat to the Wild their last time out. Columbus had 4 minutes in the box in this game. The Blue Jackets had a rough night on the offensive side of the ice in this loss. Additionally, they had 2 power play chances but weren't able to convert one of them into a goal. In the game, they tallied a score on 2 out of the 24 shots they put on goal.

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In reference to their goal scoring prowess, the Columbus Blue Jackets have accumulated 153 goals (30th in hockey) for the season and have given up 221. For the season, they have recorded 44 points and their points percentage comes in at .367. Columbus has accounted for 160 power play opportunities and they have tallied 26 goals out of those attempts, giving them a rate of 16.25%. While playing at even strength, the Blue Jackets have allowed 179 goals while having 127 on offense. Columbus has attempted 1,749 shots and has a shot percentage of 8.8%. The Blue Jackets have seen 2,097 shots taken against them and hold a save percentage of .895. Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have tallied 183 power play opportunities (16th in pro hockey) and have racked up 42 goals in those chances.

The player in the crease for this game is Joonas Korpisalo. During his career on the ice, Korpisalo has 91 quality starts and his quality starts percentage sits at .479. He has a save percentage of .903 in his 11,556 minutes guarding the cage. Korpisalo has had 6,079 shots against him and has garnered 5,490 total saves. Opponents have been able to score 589 goals versus Korpisalo in his career and his average for goals against per game is 3.06. He has compiled a win-loss mark of 87-78-24 and he started in 190 games. Korpisalo has taken the ice for 210 games during his professional hockey career.

When they took the ice last, Buffalo faced off against the Capitals in a game where the Sabres ended up with the win by a mark of 7-4. They had 3 power play chances in this one but didn't score a goal. The Sabres notched 7 goals of the 37 shots on goal they attempted.

This season, the Buffalo Sabres have earned a total of 219 goals, 66 points, in addition to a points percentage of .569. They have allowed 202 goals to be scored by of a combination of 156 goals at even strength and 46 goals while they were shorthanded. The Sabres are sitting with 170 goals at even strength and 49 goals (5th in pro hockey) while on the power play. They have a total of 196 opportunities on the power play and they have a power play rate of 25.00%. Buffalo has put up 1,876 shots (18th in professional hockey) and has a shot percentage of 11.67%, while allowing the other team 1,907 shots. They have earned a penalty kill percentage of 72.78% on their opponents 169 power play tries, and their save percentage sits at 89.4%.

Across the rink you are expected to see Craig Anderson in net. Teams are averaging 2.85 goals per contest and he has yielded 1,892 goals in total. Anderson's quality start rate is 53.3% and he has qualified for 328 quality starting assignments in his pro hockey career. He was named a starter in 615 contests and has accumulated 39,893 minutes. Anderson is sitting with a lifetime mark of 317-271-73 and has played in 703 games. He has a tally of 19,695 stops out of 21,587 shots attempted against him, giving him a rate of .912.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Buffalo (-200)

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