Free NHL Picks Today: Winnipeg Jets vs Buffalo Sabres 1/26/23

Free NHL Picks Today: Winnipeg Jets vs Buffalo Sabres 1/26/23
Thu 26th January 2023

Offense meets defense at Canada Life Centre on Thursday as the explosive Buffalo Sabres (25-19-3) head to take on the suffocating Winnipeg Jets (31-17-1).

Buffalo is coming off a high-scoring 5-3 win over the Blues on Tuesday, their fourth consecutive win. Five players found the net for the Sabres. Tage Thompson scored and provided two assists to lead the team in scoring. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed three goals on 28 shots against (.892%) in the win.

Winnipeg is returning home for a five-game homestand after a 2-1 loss against the Predators on Tuesday. Pierre-Luc Dubois netted the only goal for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck had a great performance with 39 saves (.951%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Jets won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 4-2 victory on January 12. Kyle Connor (1G 1A) and Nikolaj Ehlers (0G 2A) each had two points to lead Winnipeg. Victor Olofsson led Buffalo with two points (1G 1A). Hellebuyck got the win, saving 39 of 41 shots (.951%).

FACING OFF

Buffalo is averaging 3.81 goals per game for the season, best in the NHL. The visitors will face a tough test against a Jets team that is allowing only 2.61 goals a game (4th).

Meanwhile, Winnipeg has found the net 3.27 times a game on average, 12th in the league, and the Sabres are allowing opponents to score 3.40 goals per game (23rd).

The Sabres’ 25.75% power play percentage ranks sixth in the league, while the Jets are 12th with a conversion rate of 23.38%. Winnipeg has been stronger at penalty killing, boasting the league’s second-highest PK% at 84.06%. Buffalo ranks 28th at 73.76%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 66 points this season, sixth-most in the NHL, Thompson is the top skater for the Sabres. He is among the league leaders with 33 goals (3rd) and has added 33 assists. In the net, Craig Anderson (8-6-2) is Buffalo’s top goaltender by goals against average.

He has a 2.73 GAA and a .918% save percentage. Luukkonen (12-5-1) leads the Sabres in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 3.36 and a save percentage of .897%.

Connor leads the Jets in scoring with 57 points. He has 24 goals and 33 assists in 49 games. Hellebuyck (23-12-1) is the top goalie for Winnipeg with a goals against average of 2.39. He has a save percentage of .924%, third-best in the league.

HOME AND AWAY

Buffalo is 14-7-1 away from KeyBank Center this season. Winnipeg is pursuing a sixth successive win at Canada Life Centre this season.

SportsTips’ NHL Pick:

Winnipeg Jets (-185)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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