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Planning on watching today’s Stars and Sabres game? Catch the action at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, as the Sabres hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. In this non-conference matchup, the Stars are favored by -1.5 vs. the Sabres. The over/under for the game is 6 goals.
Dallas vs. Buffalo Key Information
- Teams: Stars at Sabres
- Where: KeyBank Center Buffalo
- Date: Tuesday, October 22nd
- Betting Odds DAL -155 | BUF +130 O/U 6
The Stars Can Win If…
With a 4-1 win over the Oilers, the Stars improved to 5-1-0 this season. Dallas covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total was set at 6 goals, but the combined score of 5 fell short of that mark.
All of the game’s scoring came after the first period. Matt Duchene got things started for the Stars with a goal at 0:26 in the second period.
Matt Duchene led the Stars with two goals, including his second and third of the season. Roope Hintz added his third goal and picked up two assists, bringing his assist total to four. Jason Robertson also netted his third goal, an empty-netter, while Logan Stankoven recorded his seventh assist.
The Stars took 24 shots on goal and scored once on the power play. After a scoreless first period, they got on the board with a goal 26 seconds into the second. Dallas added three more in the third, with the final goal coming on an empty net. The Stars had 15 giveaways in the game.
On the defensive side, the Stars will be looking to carry over their performance from their previous game, where they allowed just 1 goal to the Oilers. Jake Oettinger made 30 saves, finishing with a 96.8% save percentage. The Stars’ defense also recorded 10 takeaways, 23 hits, and 22 blocks.
- Dallas has put together a record of 2-1 over their past three games. Against the spread, they have gone 1-2 and logged an over-under record of 0-3 in these games.
- Across Dallas’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 6-4. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 5-5, in addition to an over-under mark of 3-7.
The Sabres Can Win If…
Buffalo improved to 2-4-1 with a 4-2 road win over the Blackhawks. The Sabres covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals resulted in a push.
All four of Buffalo’s goals came from different players, with Ryan McLeod sealing the win with an empty-netter. The Sabres held a 2-0 lead before the Blackhawks tied it up, but JJ Peterka’s goal with 1:23 left in the second period put Buffalo ahead for good.
Buffalo found the net four times in their recent game against the Blackhawks, with Ryan McLeod adding his third goal of the season on an empty net. Beck Malenstyn also scored, marking his first goal of the year. The Sabres took 22 shots on goal and recorded 10 giveaways.
JJ Peterka scored for the fourth time this season, while Tage Thompson picked up his fourth goal as well. Buffalo’s offense was held scoreless on power plays, but they did tally two goals in the first period, with Thompson’s coming 8:39 into the game.
Buffalo’s defense will look to build on a strong performance, where they allowed just two goals to the Blackhawks. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, and the Sabres’ defense added 4 takeaways and 24 hits. After giving up two goals in the 2nd period, they shut out Chicago in the 3rd.
- Across Buffalo’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. This also includes going 2-1 ATS, and posting an over-under record of 2-0-1.
- Through their last ten regular season contests, Buffalo has a record of 4-6. This includes going 6-4 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 3-4-3.
The Lean
For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Sabres to pick up on a win over the Stars at home. With the moneyline sitting at +130, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Sabres straight-up.
If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Sabres winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Sabres straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.
With an over/under line sitting at 6 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.
Rock-Solid Jake Oettinger, Stars Take Aim at Sabres
Jake Oettinger and the Dallas Stars are looking to continue their strong start to the season when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.
Fresh off signing an eight-year, $66 million contract extension last Thursday, Oettinger made an immediate impact by stopping 30 shots in Dallas’ 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Oettinger came within 2:22 of recording his second shutout of the season, but his early numbers remain stellar, as he’s posted a 4-0-0 record, 1.48 goals-against average, and .953 save percentage in his first four games.
“It’s a great start to the season,” Oettinger said. “We want to be the way we were last year. We felt like we weren’t stressed last year at all. We were in the driver’s seat the whole year, and that’s what you want.”
Young Stars Leading the Way
Dallas is seeing significant contributions from a pair of 21-year-old forwards, Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven, both of whom have been key early in the season. Johnston, who led the team with 32 goals last season, had five points in his first five games before being held scoreless against Edmonton. Stankoven, meanwhile, had two assists in that game and now leads the team with seven assists, tying him with Roope Hintz for the team lead in points (seven).
Dallas coach Peter DeBoer has high hopes for his young players: “I think they can both be point-a-game guys in this league. Is that in the cards for this year? For (Johnston), it definitely is. For Logan, let’s hope so but it’s a lot to ask for him.”
Johnston had a goal against Buffalo in Dallas’ 3-2 win on April 9 last season, while Oettinger was excellent in net, stopping 66 of 69 shots over two meetings with the Sabres last season, improving his career record to 4-0-1 against Buffalo.
Sabres Look to Improve Power Play
The Buffalo Sabres are returning home after collecting three points during a three-game road trip (1-1-1). The Sabres’ JJ Peterka returned from a two-game absence due to a concussion and made an immediate impact, scoring four goals during the trip, including the go-ahead tally in Buffalo’s 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
Peterka’s linemates, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, have also been productive. Thompson has three goals and two assists during a four-game point streak, while Tuch leads the team in assists (five) and points (seven).
“The line on the whole is generating opportunities,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “They’re generating opportunities different ways — some is in the zone; some is on the rush. So, it’s good to have a line like that that’s clicking.”
However, Buffalo’s power play has struggled mightily, going 0-for-21 to start the season. Fixing this issue will be key if the Sabres hope to compete with a red-hot Dallas team.
Game Outlook
The Sabres will need a strong effort from their top line and improvement on special teams if they hope to hand Oettinger and the Stars their first loss of the season. Meanwhile, Dallas is looking to ride its hot start, with Oettinger providing a strong foundation in net and young forwards like Johnston and Stankoven making key contributions.
Prediction
Dallas’ balanced offense, excellent goaltending from Oettinger, and the Sabres’ ongoing power-play struggles give the Stars the edge in this matchup.
