The NHL action enters a new week with a four-game slate on Monday, January 9, and here you can read the best Flyers vs. Sabres betting pick and odds.

Buffalo is looking for the third win in a row when they host Philadelphia at KeyBank Center. The Sabres are -210 moneyline favorites on Bovada Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These conference rivals met three times last year, and the Sabres swept that series.

Flyers are flying high right now

The Philadelphia Flyers (15-17-6-1, 25-14 ATS) are playing their best hockey of the season as they recorded four consecutive victories. The Flyers returned home from their five-game road trip with three wins and then opened a two-game homestay with a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Philadelphia is going to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday and will face the Sabres in the second of a back-to-back set on Monday.

Philly was 1-0 down after the opening period but responded with five goals in the second and scored a season-high six in a win over Arizona. Six different players found the back of the net for the Flyers, but Morgan Frost led the bunch with the best game of his career and four assists. Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny chipped in three points apiece. Thus far in the campaign, Konecny leads the team with 40 points (G 20, A 20) and Hayes is following him with 35 (G 10, A 25).

Samuel Ersson (3-0) is expected to start at the goal for Philadelphia against Buffalo on Monday as Carter Hart is a confirmed goalie against Toronto on Sunday night. The 23-year-old rookie is allowing 2.90 goals per game this season with a .905 SV% and no shutouts.

C Sean Couturier (back), RW Cam Atkinson (upper body), D Ryan Ellis (back), and C Tanner Laczynski (lower body) are out indefinitely and will not feature on Monday against Buffalo.

Sabres bagged a couple of OT wins

The Buffalo Sabres (20-15-2-0, 22-15 ATS) are also going through their best period of the season. Although the Ottawa Senators snapped Buffalo’s six-game winning streak, the Sabres responded with a pair of overtime victories against the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild. The 6-5 win over the Wild was the first game of a four-game home stand for the Sabres, who will play seven of the next nine games at KeyBank Center.

Buffalo trailed 5-4 to Minnesota late in the third period, but Rasmus Dahlin scored to force OT and Victor Olofsson then scored a game-winning goal. Both Dahlin and Oloffson netted a pair of goals in this win, but the former was outstanding with a game-high five points. Tage Thompson is the Sabres’ most valuable player so far this season with 56 points (G 31, A 25) – the 4th highest amount of points in the entire NHL. Dahlin has 44 (G 12, A 32) and Alex Tuch is right behind with 43 points (G 18, A 25).

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (9-3-1) is a probable goaltender for the Sabres against the Flyers on Monday. The 23-year-old is surrendering 3.49 goals per contest this year with a .894 SV% and no shutouts.

G Eric Comrie is on the injured reserve list due to a lower-body injury, and he is not expected to return until the middle of January.

Trends:

Philadelphia:

  • 5-28 in the last 33 vs. Atlantic Division rivals
  • 13-39 in the last 52 games playing without rest
  • 2-6 in the last eight Monday games

Buffalo:

  • 5-0 in the last five games playing on one day of rest
  • 8-1 in the last nine overall
  • 4-1 in the last five home games

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres Pick  

Buffalo has the best offense in the NHL that is scoring 4.00 goals per game. Philadelphia’s offense averages 2.77 goals per contest and is not even in the top 25. The Flyers do have a slightly stronger defense, but that is not going to help the visitors in the second of a back-to-back. Philly is not playing well in such situations, which is a big opportunity for the Sabres to extend their winning streak to three games. I expect the Flyers to be tired after Sunday’s tilt against Toronto and Buffalo will exploit that with a comfortable victory.

Pick: Take the Sabres at -1.5 Puck Line (+125)

The Total

Philadelphia did allow only eight goals in the last four games, but the Flyers are facing the best offense in the league on Monday, and I am backing the Sabres to score 4+ here. The Sabres scored 4+ in six of their previous seven home games and four of the last five overall. Over is 4-0 in the last four H2H meetings in Buffalo; Over is 6-2 in the Flyers’ previous eight overall, while Over is 5-1-1 in the Sabres’ last seven home games.

Pick: Go Over 6.5 goals (-110)