The Buffalo Sabres (27-22-4) and their clutch power play offense travel to face the San Jose Sharks (17-28-11), one of the NHL’s top penalty killing teams, at SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday. Buffalo is coming off a high-scoring 7-3 win over the Ducks on Wednesday, ending a four-game losing streak.
The Sabres committed five penalties in the game, though they held Anaheim without a power play goal. Seven players found the net for the Sabres.
Eric Comrie saved only 19 of 22 shots (.863%) in the win.San Jose is playing the first of seven games at home after a 2-1 loss against the Golden Knights on Thursday. Alexander Barabanov netted the only goal for the Sharks. Kaapo Kahkonen had a great performance with 36 saves (.947%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Sabres won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 6-3 victory in December. Dylan Cozens led Buffalo with three points (0G 3A). Oskar Lindblom, Nick Bonino, and Kevin Labanc were on the scoresheet for San Jose. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got the win despite allowing three goals on 29 shots (.896%).
FACING OFF
Buffalo is averaging 3.70 goals per game for the season, second in the NHL. The visitors will hope to take advantage of a Sharks team that is allowing 3.64 goals a game (29th).
Meanwhile, San Jose has found the net 2.98 times a game on average, 23rd in the league, and the Sabres are allowing opponents to score 3.47 goals per game (25th).
The Sabres’ fourth-ranked power play offense (25.13%) will face a tough test against the Sharks, who are the league’s third-best penalty killing team (83.83%).
San Jose, meanwhile, has scored on 19.74% of their power play opportunities (23rd), which the hosts will be aiming to build on against Buffalo’s 30th-ranked 72.78% penalty killing rate.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 70 points this season, eighth-most in the NHL, Tage Thompson is the top skater for the Sabres. He is among the league leaders with 36 goals (3rd) and has added 34 assists. In the net, Craig Anderson (8-7-2) is Buffalo’s top goaltender by goals against average.
He has a 2.86 GAA and a .914% save percentage. Luukkonen (13-7-2) leads the Sabres in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 3.47 and a save percentage of .895%.
Erik Karlsson leads the Sharks in scoring with 73 points (6th in the league). He has 18 goals and 55 assists (3rd). James Reimer (8-14-6) has the best goals against average for San Jose at 3.31. He has a save percentage of .895%.
HOME AND AWAY
Buffalo is 16-8-2 on the road this season. San Jose is 5-13-7 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Buffalo Sabres (-120)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
