Free NHL Picks Today: Buffalo Sabres vs Vancouver Canucks 11/15/22

The Buffalo Sabres (7-8-0) play host to the Vancouver Canucks (4-9-3) at KeyBank Center on Tuesday in a clash of teams on losing runs. Vancouver is coming off a 5-2 loss against the Bruins on Sunday, their third consecutive defeat. The Canucks committed eight penalties in the game, conceding two power play goals.

J.T. Miller and Sheldon Dries each scored once for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko only had 27 saves on 31 shots against (.870%) in the loss. Buffalo lost for the fifth straight game, falling 3-1 to the Bruins on Saturday. Tage Thompson netted the only goal for the Sabres. Craig Anderson only had 27 saves on 30 shots against (.900%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Sabres won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 5-1 victory in October, their third straight win against Vancouver. Victor Olofsson led Buffalo with three points (2G 1A). Conor Garland scored Vancouver’s only goal. Anderson got the win, saving 29 of 30 shots (.966%).

FACING OFF

Vancouver is averaging 3.31 goals per game for the season, 10th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Sabres team that is allowing 3.47 goals a game (24th). Meanwhile, Buffalo has found the net 3.67 times a game on average, sixth in the league, and the Canucks are allowing opponents to score 4.06 goals per game (30th).

The Canucks’ 27.59% power play percentage is the fifth-best in the league, while the Sabres rank eighth with a conversion rate of 25.00%. While efficient on the power play, Vancouver has been less impressive at penalty killing, as the away team owns the league’s lowest PK% at 61.82%. Buffalo’s 73.91% ranks 27th in the NHL.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat have been the top skaters for the Canucks this season with 18 and 17 points. Horvat is among the league leaders with his 13 goals (2nd).

In the net, Spencer Martin (3-1-1) is Vancouver’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 3.39 GAA and a .902% save percentage. Demko (1-7-2) leads the Canucks in games played in goal.

He has a GAA of 4.01 and a save percentage of .874%.Thompson leads the Sabres in scoring with 19 points (10th in the league). He has 11 goals (3rd in the league) and eight assists.

Anderson (3-2-0) has the best goals against average for Buffalo at 2.40. He has a save percentage of .922%. Eric Comrie (4-6-0) has played the most games in net for the Sabres this season. He has a 3.62 GAA and a .885% save percentage.

HOME AND AWAY

Vancouver is looking to snap a three-game road losing streak this season. Buffalo is looking to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat at home this season.