Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Predictions and Picks

Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Betting Preview

This will be the first of two regular season meetings between the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets. WagerTalk NHL handicapper Kevin Dolan breaks down this Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets matchup giving his betting trends and angles before puck drop.

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Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Betting Odds

Thursday, January 12	NHL Betting Notes
Moneyline:	Buffalo Sabres +110 vs Winnipeg Jets -130
Puckline:	Sabres +1.5 (-225) / Jets -1.5 (+190)
Total:	6.5 (Over -120 / Under +100)
Arena:	KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings)
Game Time:	7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT

Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Betting Analysis

Two teams looking to get back to winning ways in this one as the Winnipeg Jets head to Western New York to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

The Jets come off a real back-and-forth encounter against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday losing in a 7-5 shootout, with Connor Hellebuyck arguably having his worst game of the season so far, allowing 6 goals with a .727% SV%, something we haven’t seen too much of from him this year.

The Buffalo Sabres meanwhile come off back-to-back losses at home themselves, and allowed four goals in each of those games also, so will need to tighten up here on Thursday against the Jets if they’re going to come away with the win.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season, with the pair splitting two games last season with each taking a victory on the road.

Hellebuyck Pivotal To Winnipeg’s Success

Jets coach Rick Bowness has stated he’s sticking with his main man in nets on Thursday despite Connor Hellebucyk allowing 6 goals from just 22 shots in Tuesday’s loss against Detroit.

That’s fair however as Hellebuyck has been outstanding for the majority of the season, but does point to a larger problem at work in Winnipeg, namely the Jets 21st defensive xGA ranking this season, with Winnipeg’s 4th-best opponent shot conversion percentage largely keeping them afloat this year.

If Hellebuyck’s form continues to drop however, that could spell huge trouble for this Jets team moving forward.

If Buffalo Can Curb Goals, They Have the Offense To Dominate

Despite dropping both of their last two games at home over recent starts, Buffalo’s offense continues to shine this year, and if they can find a solution to their revolving door issue in nets, this team could become an even greater threat.

The Sabres lead the league in offensive scoring this season at 3.87 GPG, along with ranking as one of only two teams this year with a greater than 12% shot-conversion percentage also.

Craig Anderson leads the Sabres in terms of stats this year posting an impressive +8.16 GSAA average, but with more rest needed in-between games, it’s time for the other Buffalo goalies to step up.

Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Prediction

It’s a bounce-back scenario in more ways than one here on Thursday as Connor Hellebuyck not only looks to rebound off that disappointing loss on Tuesday, but also the Sabres looking to rebound off a paltry 1.5 goals per game scoring average over their last two starts as well.

Hellebuyck may well come out slow on Thursday after getting bombarded just two nights ago, and we know not only how prolific this Buffalo Sabres offense has been this season, but also how fragile they’ve been defensively also, so we’re going to take a shot with the Both Teams to Score – Yes prop in the 1st Period on Thursday at +130.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score In First Period (+130)


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Puck Time | NHL Betting Preview January 12

Join Carmine Bianco, Andrew McInnis and Carmine Bianco for Thursday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down this weekend’s NHL betting card. Join the Puck Time crew every week day at 11am ET / 8am PT as we discuss the NHL betting slate from a variety of handicapping angles.

NHL Live Odds Screen

WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the moneylines, pucklines, totals and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s NHL action, including this Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets showdown, from your desktop or phone.

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Meet the Author

‘The sharpest sports mind in Ireland’ is how one prominent newspaper dubbed Kevin Dolan after he became the first foreigner ever to win the World Series of Handicapping tournament back in 2015. “The Irishman” made his start wagering on GAA, football, soccer and boxing, all to immense success.

Since becoming a professional bettor, he has since lit up the sports betting scene in the U.S. and abroad, winning two handicapping awards and writing a best-selling book on sports handicapping named ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Betting’.

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