NHL Betting Odds, Picks: Sabres vs. Canucks (October 22)

Sabres vs. Canucks Odds

We have an exciting matchup on Saturday night as the Pacific Division's Vancouver Canucks host the Atlantic Division's Buffalo Sabres. Last season, Buffalo won both of the meetings between these two teams.

Will the Sabres take care of business once again, or can the Canucks grab their first victory of the season?

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Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have started the season in tremendous form as they are 3-1 with wins over Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary. Their only loss came against a stacked Florida Panthers team in a close 4-3 battle.

Part of the reason for this success has been the tremendous goaltending between the tandem of Eric Comrie and Craig Anderson. While neither goalie has been confirmed for this contest, we should be comfortable with either option.

Through three starts this season, Comrie is 2-1 with a .930 SV% and a 3.01 GAA. It's also worth noting that those games came against three of the most talented offenses in hockey. At 5v5, Comrie ranks eighth among starting goaltenders at goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60).

Across his two career starts against the Canucks, Comrie possesses a .908 SV% and 2.93 GAA. Buffalo may also start Anderson, who was brilliant in the season opener against the Ottawa Senators.

In that game, he stopped 35 of 36 pucks for a .972 SV%. Over his past five starts against Vancouver, Anderson is 4-1 with a .936 SV% and 1.77 GAA.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have had a rough start to the season and enter this contest with a 0-3-2 record after blowing multi-goal leads in four of five games. Vancouver’s poor defense, which has surrendered three or more goals in each game, is the main culprit of those blown leads.

At 5v5, the Canucks rank just 20th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). On the back end, this team features a lot of talented defensemen, but they skew toward being an offensive-minded group, which has hurt them when they need to suffocate opposing offenses.

The defense got better once Bruce Boudreau took over behind the bench last year, but has taken a step back at the start of this season. Backing up this defense is goaltender Thatcher Demko, who is projected to get the start in this contest.

While Demko has typically been reliable between the pipes, he has struggled out of the gates this season. Through four starts, he is 0-3-1 with a .861 SV% and 4.30 GAA.

In his career against the Sabres, Demko possesses a .891 SV% and 3.70 GAA. I think Demko will turn it around after this slow start, and it is not all on him because the group in front of him has given up an abundance of high-danger scoring chances.

That being said, going against a hot team like the Buffalo Sabres is probably not the scenario to figure it out.

Sabres vs. Canucks Pick

These two teams enter this game in opposite form. Don Granato has done an excellent job with this Buffalo group as the Sabres are playing with the most confidence we have seen from them in years.

Their 3-1 start is particularly impressive given the level of competition they have gone against. Meanwhile, the Canucks have had no trouble putting up goals, but they can't do anything right defensively.

They have choked away a lead in all five games they have played and should be faded until they prove they can close out a game.

Pick: Buffalo Sabres ML (+145) | Play down to (+130)