Buffalo Sabres – Detroit Red Wings: Will the third time be the charm for Buffalo? 
Buffalo has already had two shots at clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference and fluffed both. This third chance, at home against Detroit — who just slid out of the top eight — couldn’t have come at a better time.
Will the home side finally take it, or will Detroit get the engine running again? We break down the form and the numbers to hand you the best bet for this regular-season clash.
The Buffalo Sabres are gunning for the crown 
Lindy Ruff’s bunch roll into this with a handy run — six straight games with at least a point — even if they’ve lost two sickening overtime finishes to Anaheim (6-5) and Boston (4-3). Those tiny slips are what’s keeping Carolina ahead on points percentage for now.
At home, though, KeyBank Center is a fortress: Buffalo win 62.9% of their games there, one of the league’s top five home records. In front of their own crowd the attack lights up — 3.57 goals per game (3rd in the NHL) — while they concede 2.94 (15th). Injury-wise, Jordan Greenway and Justin Danforth are back but won’t be ready tonight. Jiri Kulich and Tanner Pearson have finished their seasons, and defenseman Conor Timmins has finally laced up again.
Detroit in the danger zone 
The Red Wings are sliding — seven losses in their last 10. After defeats to Boston (4-2) and Ottawa (3-2), they tumbled down the table and are now out of the playoff spots by a single point.
On the road it’s grim — three straight losses for the first time since early December. Yet before this wobble their away record was strong (18 wins in 35 games), helped by a stout defense that allows just 2.69 goals per game (3rd in the league), even if the attack can be quiet at times (2.77 goals). Roster news: Canadian Emmitt Finney should recover quickly from a minor knock, and Michael Rasmussen is hoped to return late next week after more than a fortnight out.
NHL pick Buffalo Sabres vs Detroit Red Wings
Over 2.5 goals for the Buffalo Sabres
History says when these two meet in Buffalo you get fireworks. Brace yourself: in their last nine meetings (preseason included) the teams have combined for at least six goals per game.
The crazier, more convincing stat for our pick sits with the home attack: in 16 of their last 17 home meetings with Detroit, the Sabres have scored at least three goals. Against a Red Wings side low on confidence and a Buffalo offense that’s humming in front of its own fans (3.57 goals per game), betting the Sabres to clear 2.5 goals is by far the most sensible — and safest — play of the night.
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