Arizona Coyotes vs Buffalo Sabres Picks and Predictions March 20th 2025

Utah Aims to Stay in Playoff Hunt as Sabres Visit

The Utah Hockey Club (30-27-11, 71 points) remains in the hunt for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot despite an inconsistent season. After suffering a brutal 7-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, Utah is eager to regroup and get back on track as they host the Buffalo Sabres (27-33-6, 60 points) on Thursday.

Tuesday’s defeat marked Utah’s largest deficit of the season, trailing 3-0 after the first period and 5-0 midway through the second. The loss snapped a promising run, as the team had been making progress toward the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“Obviously that’s not us, that’s not who we are,” said defenseman Sean Durzi. “Not the performance we wanted. We’re upset. This time of year you can’t have that. We’ll have to regroup and put this one in the past.”

Recent Performance and Playoff Hopes

Despite the setback, Utah remains just four points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. After falling eight points out of contention on Feb. 2, the team rallied with a 9-5-2 run beginning Feb. 4. This included a solid 7-3-0 stretch from Feb. 4 to March 6, showcasing resilience and determination.

However, Utah has struggled to maintain consistency, going 2-2-2 in the past six games while scoring just 15 total goals, six of which came in two contests.

Coach Andre Tourigny emphasized the importance of maintaining intensity and focus.

“It’s everybody — the fight, the pushback, what we’re known for, the resilience and being engaged and to be connected,” Tourigny said. “There was none of that. It’s everybody, and it starts with the coach. It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Sabres Seeking Road Redemption

The Buffalo Sabres enter Thursday’s matchup on a positive note, having won three of their last four games. Each of those victories came by a single goal, demonstrating their ability to win tight contests.

Buffalo has shown remarkable defensive improvement, holding both the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins to 20 or fewer shots on goal in consecutive games.

“Just sticking to our system,” said center Peyton Krebs. “We’ve had the lead and given it up at times, and we don’t want that in our identity and our game. We’re just trying to make sure we continue to develop that for the rest of the season.”

Monday’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Bruins snapped an eight-game road skid (0-7-1), marking their first away win since Jan. 21 in Vancouver. With their playoff hopes all but dashed, the Sabres are focusing on developing better road performance to be more competitive next season.

“I think we can clean up our road play and that’ll give us a good shot to make the playoffs,” Krebs said. “Teams that have the best road record seem to make the playoffs, so we’ve got to continue to build off this, play the right way and good things will happen.”

Key Matchup: Goaltending and Defense

Utah’s ability to recover from Tuesday’s blowout will be crucial. Linus Ullmark, despite his strong play this season, struggled to hold off the Oilers’ relentless attack. Whether he or Anton Forsberg gets the nod on Thursday will be a game-time decision.

Buffalo, on the other hand, will rely on strong goaltending from Devon Levi and efficient defensive play, hoping to continue their trend of limiting opponents’ shots.

Ice-Cold Profits Await

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Betting Insights and Playoff Implications

• Utah is four points out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
• Buffalo is mathematically alive but faces long odds of making the playoffs.
• Utah’s recent inconsistency puts pressure on them to secure crucial home points.
• Stanley Cup Odds, NHL Conference Winner Odds, and NHL Metropolitan Division Odds are shifting as the postseason approaches.

For the latest Pick, Team, and Odds insights, visit our Expert Betting Guide to get the most accurate predictions and betting strategies.

Final Thoughts

Can Utah bounce back from their embarrassing loss and reignite their playoff hopes, or will Buffalo build on their recent road success? With postseason implications on the line, this matchup promises to be intense and fiercely competitive.