Betting Online Overview
The ceremony to welcome new Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula to the organization at the last Sabres’ game was impressive. The people of Western New York have seemed to really take to the new owner. But if you bet on March Madness basketball, then you know that hype is not worth considering in a betting situation. As the NHL trade deadline approaches, the fans in Buffalo are probably wondering if Pegula will demand any changes to the team. The practical answer is probably not. After watching the Sabres sleep-walk their way to a win over the Thrashers, the hopeful answer is that some Buffalo deadweight will be cut soon.
The NHL trade rumors have hit the Ottawa Senators hard. With Ottawa firmly out of the playoffs, even revered names like Daniel Alfredsson are no longer sacred in the Canadian capital city. Every player is on the trading block in Ottawa, and that makes for a jumpy and less-than-effective hockey team.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres will be playing the fifth game of a very long six-game home stand when the Senators come to town. In the first four games, the Sabres are 1-3. The team won the most recent home game against the Atlanta Thrashers, but goaltender Ryan Miller had to make 40 saves to secure the win. The Sabres are playing with absolutely no emotion and no drive. They are standing around in their own end, and they are not going after the puck. One of the few players that is playing well is second-year forward Tyler Ennis. He has 13 goals this season and is one of the top goal scorers on the team.
Among the disappointments for the Sabres is second-year defenseman, and last year’s rookie of the year winner, Tyler Myers. He has looked out of position in most instances, he has continued to make bad passes out of his own end and he is making bad decisions on when to get involved in the rush. Myers is one element of a team that is playing bad hockey.
Ottawa Senators
Because of their strong finish last year, the Senators were expected to be battling for a playoff spot this season. As of now, the Ottawa Senators sit in last place in the Eastern Conference, and even the 13th and 14th place teams are pulling away. The Senators are riding a two-game winning streak, but they have only won a total of three out of their last 10 games. Ottawa has given up the second-most amount of goals in the Eastern Conference at 195. They are second only to the Atlanta Thrashers, who just gave up four goals to a listless Sabres team.
The Bottom Line
The Sabres need to put together a three or four-game winning streak to overtake Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres entered this recent home stand playing very well, but then promptly dropped three in a row in front of the home fans. But as badly as the Sabres are playing, they should still have enough to beat the Senators.
Pick: Buffalo Sabres
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