Buffalo Sabres vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 2/17/2024 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Buffalo Sabres vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Saturday, February 17, 2024

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

The Buffalo Sabres (23-25-4) are headed to Xcel Energy Center on Saturday where they will try to defeat the Minnesota Wild (25-23-5).

The Buffalo Sabres came out of this game feeling pretty good about themselves with a 7-0 victory against the Kings in their previous game. Buffalo had 6 mins in the box in this matchup. The Sabres had a solid offensive performance and it showed in the victory. They also had 2 chances with the advantage and scored 1 goal. In the game, they tallied a score on 7 out of the 24 shots they looked to score on.

When playing at even strength, the Sabres have conceded 127 goals while getting 133 on the offensive side of the ice. Buffalo Sabres opponents have earned 160 power play tries (19th in professional hockey) and have tallied 32 goals in those attempts. Pertaining to scoring goals, the Buffalo Sabres have notched 155 goals (20th in the National Hockey League) this season and have allowed 159. Buffalo has taken 1,639 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 9.5%. For the current season, they have recorded 50 points and their points percentage comes in at .481. The Sabres have had 1,523 shots attempted against them and hold a save percentage of .896. Buffalo has tallied 151 power play opportunities and they have scored 22 goals out of those attempts, giving them a percentage of 14.57%.

The player in the crease for this game is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen has been involved in 75 games during his NHL career. He has amassed a win-loss mark of 33-32-8 and he has gotten the start in 71 games. The opposition has notched 220 goals against Luukkonen in his pro career and his goals against rate is 3.10. Luukkonen has had 2,258 shot attempts against him and has recorded 2,038 saves. His save percentage is at .903 for his 4,258 minutes in the crease. During his career on the ice, Luukkonen has recorded 36 quality starts and his percentage for quality starts is .507.

Their last time out, Minnesota opposed the Coyotes in an outing where the Wild ended up with the win by a score of 3-1. They had 5 opportunities on the power play in this game and converted 1 out of those attempts. The Wild tallied 3 goals of the 43 shots on goal they attempted.

Minnesota has taken 1,597 shots (18th in professional hockey) and has a shooting percentage of 9.96%, while allowing their opponents 1,610 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill rate of 74.73% on their opponents 182 opportunities on the power play, and their save percentage is 89.4%. They have earned 180 power play chances and they have earned a power play rate of 20.56%. The Wild have accumulated 122 goals at even strength and 37 goals (12th in hockey) while on the power play. They have granted a total of 171 goals to be scored by of a combination of 125 goals at even strength and 46 goals while they were shorthanded. So far this year, the Minnesota Wild have earned a total of 159 goals, 55 points, in addition to a points percentage of .519.

For the opposition you will find Filip Gustavsson protecting the net. Gustavsson has earned a career record of 47-35-12 and has participated in 97 games. Gustavsson's quality start rate comes out to 57.8% and he has 52 quality starting assignments in his pro career. He has gathered 2,645 stops out of the 2,897 shots tried, giving him a save percentage of .913. The opposition is averaging 2.72 goals per game and he has yielded 252 goals altogether. He has made the start in 90 contests and has accumulated 5,563 minutes.

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

Josh's Pick: Take Buffalo

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