Buffalo Sabres vs Colorado Avalanche Picks and Predictions December 3rd 2024

Buffalo Sabres vs Colorado Avalanche December 3rd 2024

Betting on today’s Avalanche 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 Avalanche are favored by -1.5 vs. the Sabres. The over/under for the game is 6.5 goals.

Colorado vs. Buffalo Key Information

Following a 5-2 loss to the Predators, the Avalanche are now 13-12-0 this season. Colorado took a 1-0 lead early in the second period, but Nashville responded with five unanswered goals.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals pushed it over. The Avalanche were underdogs on the puck line, and failed to cover.

In their 5-2 loss to Nashville, Colorado took 30 shots on goal but only found the net twice. Cale Makar opened the scoring with his 5th goal of the season on a power play, while Nathan MacKinnon added his 6th goal, which came with just 2:17 left in the game.

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Makar also picked up his 16th assist on MacKinnon’s goal. MacKinnon, who had 6 shots on goal, now has 14 assists this season. The Avalanche recorded 23 offensive giveaways.

Defensively, Colorado allowed the game-tying goal at 11:29 of the 2nd period, followed by three more from Nashville, including two empty-netters. Justus Annunen made 21 saves with an 87.5% save percentage. The Avalanche’s defense also contributed 11 takeaways and 26 hits.

Following a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres are now 11-11-2 this season. Buffalo led 1-0 after the first period, but Detroit responded with two goals in the second.

Buffalo was the underdog on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals. The combined 3 goals fell short of the total.

Buffalo’s offense managed just one goal in their 2-1 loss to Detroit. Alex Tuch scored his 5th of the season on a shorthanded effort, with the Sabres taking 32 shots on goal but failing to find the net again.

Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and didn’t register any assists in the game. Tuch, who scored the lone goal, had 5 shots on goal.

Buffalo’s defense was solid in the first and third periods, allowing no goals, but they gave up two in the second, both on the power play. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the Sabres’ defense recorded 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Sabres to come out with a win against the Avalanche while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at +124, I’m placing my bet on the Sabres to win outright.

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.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

Sabres Look to Reignite Offense as They Start Five-Game Homestand vs. Avs

Sabres Seek to Solve Scoring Struggles

The Buffalo Sabres are aiming to break out of an offensive slump as they begin a five-game homestand Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Buffalo has been shut out in two of its last three games, with struggles on the power play contributing significantly. The Sabres are 0-for-13 with the man advantage over their past five games, a stark contrast to a stretch earlier in the season when they scored at least one power-play goal in 10 of 11 contests.

“We just can’t get frustrated,” said Sabres forward Dylan Cozens. “We can’t get on each other, we can’t get yelling at each other and complaining about each other. We’ve just got to go out there and just work. … I think we’re just getting a little frustrated as of late, and it’s definitely not doing us any favors.”

Buffalo’s power play will have an opportunity to rebound against Colorado’s penalty kill, which has allowed five power-play goals in its past five games and ranks near the bottom of the league with a 71.9 percent success rate this season.

Avalanche Hope to Regain Momentum

The Avalanche are also looking to recapture their scoring form. They’ve managed only eight goals over their last four games and are coming off a stretch of six consecutive games against playoff teams from last season, going 3-3-0 in that span. Most recently, Colorado fell 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers, allowing four unanswered goals.

“Scoring doesn’t come easy, and if you fall behind, it can get frustrating for your team,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “Morale is definitely part of it. But I think you know (that) you have to reset (on a) nightly basis, which I think we’ve been doing.”

The Avalanche will be without forward Miles Wood, who is now considered month-to-month with an upper-body injury. Mikko Rantanen continues to carry the offensive load for Colorado and was named the NHL’s second star for November after recording 11 goals and eight assists in 14 games.

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Head-to-Head History

Buffalo has won two of the last three meetings against Colorado, breaking the Avalanche’s prior dominance of eight straight victories in the series. Tuesday’s matchup will kick off a five-game homestand for Buffalo, while Colorado embarks on a five-game road trip.

The game offers both teams a chance to reset and find the scoring touch needed to build momentum moving forward.