Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. Today we are looking at the game between the Colorado Avalanche vs. Buffalo Sabres. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Colorado Avalanche vs. Buffalo Sabres
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: ALT; MSG-B; KTVD; ESPN+
As the calendar turns to December the Colorado Avalanche (13-12-0) head to snowy Buffalo to take on the Buffalo Sabres (11-11-2). This game will be the first of two meetings this season. Both teams are hovering around the playoff cut line trying to climb away from the .500 mark as the third month of the season gets underway. With each team coming off a loss these will be an important two points.
Avalanche Looking to Build off a Winning November
The Colorado Avalanche finished November with an 8-6-0 record getting them back over the .500 mark. However, they are still on the outside looking in of the playoff picture. The main reason for this mediocrity has a lot to do with the goaltending the Avalanche have been getting. While starting to find more wins, Alexandar Georgiev has still struggled to a 3.31 GAA and .875 SV%. Even when he isn’t playing, the Avs are giving up lots of goals. As a team, they are giving up 3.72 GA/GP and have a -12 goal differential. This led to Colorado acquiring Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators. He hasn’t gotten off to a great start either. It will be interesting to see how this duo splits time in the crease.
The Avalanche are still in the playoff race because of their offence. Their power play is top ten in the league. This will be an important area for the Avs to try and take advantage of the Sabres. With shaky goaltending Colorado may have to continue outscoring opponents. Now healthier up front they have even more firepower to do so.
Sabres Need to Score More
Over the Buffalo Sabres last three games they have scored three goals. All three were scored in the same game against the Vancouver Canucks. That game was sandwiched between two shutout losses to the Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders. The hope in Buffalo is that their offensive stars are just in a slump. They do have some high-end offensive players in Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin amongst others who they will look to in this game tonight.
One area that could help get the Sabres back on the scoreboard is the power play. Unfortunately, that power play is bottom five in the league. Fortunately, the penalty kill they will be facing is also bottom five in the league. Tonight may be the perfect night for a breakout performance. A weak penalty kill and a struggling goalie at the other end of the ice seems like a great recipe for the Buffalo offence to get back on track.
Prediction
Even while giving up plenty of goals the Avalanche have a great record in one-goal games going 6-1-0. This is a credit to their offence. For the Sabres, their offence has let them down lately. It will be interesting to watch which offence can produce tonight. Advantage Colorado. With that being said the goaltending battle leans heavily in Buffalo’s favour with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen between the pipes. If the Sabres can give him some goal support, he may be able to prevent the Avalanche from scoring enough goals to keep up.
Prediction: Sabres win 4-2
Prop Bets of The Night
Nathan MacKinnon has nine goals and 23 points in 16 career games vs. Buffalo. He is +135 as an anytime goal scorer on FanDuel Sportsbook. Meanwhile, Cale Makar has never scored against the Sabres in his career. Tonight could be the night. He has longer odds at +350 as an anytime goal scorer. That seems like good value for such a highly skilled defenceman. Even with that star power the Buffalo Sabres are predicted to win. They are home underdogs at +118.
Main Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: December 3 with Colorado Avalanche vs. Buffalo Sabres appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.