Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, 12/21/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres

Date: Thursday, December 21, 2023

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG Network

Odds/Point Spread: Maple Leafs (-148) Sabres (+123)

The Buffalo Sabres (13-17-3) will go up against the Toronto Maple Leafs (16-7-6) at KeyBank Center on Thursday. The moneyline on this game has Toronto at -148 and Buffalo is at +123. The betting total is set at 7.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to get a win in their next outing after their 5-2 defeat to the Rangers in their previous game. The Maple Leafs didn't have their best offensive outing in this defeat. In the outing, they scored on 2 out of the 33 shots they put on goal. Furthermore, they had 1 chance with the advantage but didn't net one. Toronto accrued 4 penalty mins for this matchup.

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Toronto Maple Leafs opponents have totaled 87 power play tries (31st in the league) and have a total of 19 goals in those chances. The Maple Leafs have had 945 shots attempted against them and hold a save percentage of .901. Toronto has tried 953 shots and holds a shot percentage of 10.9%. When playing at even strength, the Maple Leafs have surrendered 75 goals while scoring 82 on the offensive side of the ice. Toronto has 85 power play chances and they have notched 22 goals during those advantages, garnering them a percentage of 25.88%. For the current campaign, they have 38 points and their points percentage is sitting at .655. In the matter of their goal scoring prowess, the Toronto Maple Leafs have notched 104 goals (9th in hockey) this season and have given up 94.

Protecting the goal for this matchup will be Ilya Samsonov. The opposition has scored 365 goals against Samsonov in his pro career and his goals against rate is 2.72. Samsonov has been involved in 144 matchups over the course of his pro hockey career. His save percentage currently sits at .905 for his 8,042 minutes played. He has a record of 84-33-18 and he started in 132 games. Over the course of his time in hockey, Samsonov has 65 quality starts and his quality starts percentage is .492. Samsonov has had 3,854 shot attempts against him and has recorded 3,489 saves.

In their last game, Buffalo went up against the Blue Jackets in an outing where the Sabres ended up taking the loss by a final score of 9-4. They had 3 power play opportunities in this outing and notched 1 out of those chances. The Sabres converted 4 goals out of the 29 shots on goal they took.

Buffalo has taken 993 shots (11th in the NHL) and has a shot percentage of 9.47%, while allowing the opposition 983 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill percentage of 80.58% on their opponents 103 power play tries, and their save percentage comes in at 88.5%. They have a total of 93 opportunities on the power play and they have accumulated a power play percentage of 13.98%. The Sabres have tallied 81 goals at even strength and 13 goals (27th in pro hockey) while having a power play advantage. They have allowed 113 goals to be scored by way of 93 goals at even strength and 20 goals while they were shorthanded. This season, the Buffalo Sabres have a total of 94 goals, 29 points, as well as a points percentage of .439.

Across the rink you will find Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen defending the goal. Luukkonen has amassed a career mark of 26-27-7 and has played in 62 games. Luukkonen's quality start percentage comes out to 46.6% and he has made 27 quality starting assignments in his professional career. He is sitting with 1,705 saves out of the 1,902 shots attempted, giving him a save percentage of .896. The opposition is averaging 3.39 goals per contest and he has surrendered 197 goals altogether. He got the starting nod in 58 games and his ice time sits at 3,483 minutes.

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

Tony's Pick: Take Toronto (-148)

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