The NHL betting action goes on Friday, October 22, 2021, with the Atlantic Division showdown from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, so we have prepared the best Bruins vs. Sabres betting pick and odds along with the latest team stats and news.

Last season, the Bruins have won seven of their eight contests against the Sabres. Boston opened at -196 to win Friday’s clash straight up, while Buffalo is a +176 home underdog with a total of 5.5 goals on Bookmaker Sportsbook. 

The Bruins’ D fell apart against Philadelphia

After a convincing 3-1 home win to the Dallas Stars in their season opener, the Boston Bruins suffered a heavy 6-3 defeat at the Philadelphia Flyers this past Wednesday. The clash was tied at 3-3 at the end of the second period, and the Bruins couldn’t find the answer for the Flyers’ offense down the stretch.

Boston took 15 shots more than Philadelphia (40-25), but the Bruins conceded on both of the Flyers’ power-play opportunities. Rookie Jeremy Swayman had a bad day in the office and conceded five goals on just 24 shots.

Swayman had an outstanding debut with 27 saves against the Stars, but after that dud at Phila, Linus Ullmark will guard the cage against Buffalo. Ullmark joined Boston in the offseason after spending six years with the Sabres. He was 9-6-3 with a 2.63 GAA and a .917 save percentage last regular season.

The Sabres hope to extend their perfect run 

The Buffalo Sabres improved to 3-0-0 on the season following a 5-2 victory to the Vancouver Canucks this past Tuesday. They were down 2-1 at the end of the first period, but the Sabres completely outplayed their opponents for the rest of the way.

Buffalo took 43 shots towards Vancouver’s net, and five different players managed to score a goal, including center Zemgus Girgensons, who’s already accounted for a couple of goals and assists on the season. Craig Anderson turned aside 32 shots to earn his second win in 2021-22, and the 40-year-old goalie had 30 saves in a 5-1 victory to Montreal in the season opener.

It’s still unknown who’ll patrol the crease Friday against the Bruins. Dustin Tokarski is another option, and he posted 20 saves in a 2-1 shootout victory to the Arizona Coyotes on October 16. 

Trends:

Boston:

  • 12-1 in the last 13 games against Buffalo
  • 13-6 in the last 19 regular-season games

Buffalo:

  • 2-13 in the last 15 home games against Boston 
  • 5-10 in the last 15 games against the Atlantic Division  

Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabres Pick

I’m backing Boston to bounce back from a heavy loss at Philadelphia and extend its dominance over Buffalo. The Bruins have won 12 of their last 13 games against the Sabres and 13 of their previous 15 contests at KeyBank Center.

Frankly, the Sabres have met some bad teams so far, taking full advantage of their schedule. The Bruins should be fired up to prove their worth, and I’m expecting a much better defensive performance after conceding six goals against the Flyers.

Pick: Take Boston Bruins at -196         

The Total:

Although the odds on Boston to win are not tempting, going with the side bet looks like the best move in this matchup. The Sabres have scored 11 goals in their first three games of the new season, but the Bruins’ defense will be a much taller order.

The totals are a tricky wager, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the visitors shut down the Sabres. The total has gone over in the last four meetings between the Bruins and Sabres, but the under has hit in 11 of their previous 16 encounters.

Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at +103