Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, 2/4/2025 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres

Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG Network

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (-182) Sabres (+150)

The Columbus Blue Jackets (26-20-7) are en route to KeyBank Center on Tuesday where they will take on the Buffalo Sabres (21-26-5). The moneyline on this game has Columbus at -182 and Buffalo is opening at +150. The total is set at 6.5.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will look to clean up some issues after taking a 5-3 loss against the Stars their last time out. The Blue Jackets had a middle of the road offensive outing in this loss. In the game, they scored on 3 out of the 30 shots they attempted. In addition, they had 3 attempts on the power play but weren't able to convert one of them into a goal. Columbus garnered 6 mins in the box for this game.

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At even strength, the Blue Jackets have allowed the opponent to score 138 goals while notching 145 themselves. Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have tallied 146 power play opportunities (19th in the league) and have tallied 37 goals in those chances. With respect to scoring goals, the Columbus Blue Jackets have tallied 173 goals (8th in pro hockey) so far this season and have conceded 175. Columbus has tried 1,547 shots and holds a shot percentage of 11.2%. For the current campaign, they have recorded 59 points and their points percentage comes in at .557. The Blue Jackets have had 1,550 shots attempted against them and have a save percentage of .887. Columbus comes into tonight with 130 power play opportunities and they have notched 28 goals during those advantages, giving them a percentage of 21.54%.

The player protecting the goal in this game is Elvis Merzlikins. Opponents have tallied 659 goals versus Merzlikins in his career and his goals against average per contest is 3.75. Merzlikins has taken the ice for 225 games during his NHL career. He has a save percentage of .903 for his 10,535 mins in the crease. He has earned a win-loss record of 87-91-33 and was named the starter in 211 games. During his career on the ice, Merzlikins is sitting with 102 quality starts and his quality starts rate sits at .483. Merzlikins has seen 6,783 shot attempts taken against him and has recorded 6,124 total saves.

In their last game, Buffalo went up against the Devils in an outing where the Sabres took home the victory by a tally of 4-3. They had 4 opportunities on the power play in this contest but weren't able to score a goal. The Sabres had 4 goals of the 34 shots on goal they pursued.

Buffalo has taken 1,452 shots (22nd in the league) and has a shot percentage of 11.16%, while allowing the other team 1,523 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill percentage of 78.48% on their opponents 158 power play chances, and their save percentage is 88.4%. They have recorded 153 opportunities on the power play and they have accumulated a power play rate of 16.34%. The Sabres have tallied 137 goals at even strength and 25 goals (27th in pro hockey) while on the power play. They have granted a total of 176 goals to be scored by way of 142 goals at even strength and 34 goals while they had less men on the ice. On the season, the Buffalo Sabres have earned a total of 162 goals, 47 points, in addition to a points percentage of .452.

For the opposition you are likely to see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen defending the net. Opponents are averaging 4.06 goals/game and he has allowed 393 goals altogether. Luukkonen's quality start rate is 54.5% and he has qualified for 73 quality starts in his career. He has started in 134 games and has played for a total of 5,803 minutes. Luukkonen has amassed a career mark of 65-56-14 and has participated in 138 games. He has recorded 3,617 stops out of 4,010 shots attempted against him, giving him a save percentage of .902.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Buffalo (+150)

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