Ny Rangers Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres Picks and Predictions November 7th 2024

New York Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres November 7th 2024

The Sabres and Rangers are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Rangers will host the game at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. This Eastern conference matchup has an over/under of 6 goals, and the Rangers are favored by -1.5 goals vs. the Sabres.

Buffalo vs. New York Key Information

With a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres fell to 5-7-1 this season. Buffalo led early, scoring at 11:39 in the first period, but Detroit responded with two goals in the second to secure the win. As +1.5 goal underdogs, the Sabres failed to cover the puck line, and the total of 3 goals fell short of the 6.5-goal line.

Alex Tuch scored the Sabres’ lone goal, finding the net with a short-handed effort in the first period. Buffalo’s defense couldn’t hold, giving up two power-play goals in the second period, both scored by Dylan Larkin.

Buffalo’s offense struggled to find the net in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch scoring his 5th goal of the season on a shorthanded effort. The Sabres fired 32 shots on goal but were unable to capitalize, leaving them without an assist in the game.

Buffalo’s lone goal came in the first period at 8:21. The Sabres finished with 13 giveaways and were held scoreless in the second and third periods.

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Buffalo’s defense gave up two goals in their last game, both of which came in the second period on the power play. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense added 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

The Rangers improved to 8-2-1 with a 5-2 win over the Islanders. Entering the game as -1.5 goal favorites, New York covered the puck line. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined 7 goals pushed the game over.

Four different players scored for the Rangers, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. The Rangers built a 2-0 lead before the Islanders got on the board, and sealed the win with two goals in the third period.

In their 5-2 win over the Islanders, the Rangers fired 40 shots on goal, with Artemi Panarin scoring twice, including his 9th goal on an empty net. Earlier, Panarin had netted his 8th on a power play. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his 8th goal, which came shorthanded, while Vincent Trocheck added his 4th of the season.

Adam Edstrom also found the net, scoring his 1st goal of the season. Mika Zibanejad contributed with three assists, bringing his total to 8 for the season. The Rangers recorded 14 giveaways in the game.

On defense, the Rangers will look to build off a strong performance from their previous game, where they gave up just 2 goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin recorded 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, while the defense added 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks. The only negative was a late 2nd-period goal from the Islanders with 8 seconds remaining.

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Sabres to come out with a win against the Rangers while playing on the road. Considering the moneyline odds at +168, I’m placing my bet on the Sabres to win outright.

Our projections have the Sabres pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Sabres, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

Rangers Aim for Third Consecutive Win in Matchup Against Visiting Sabres

The New York Rangers look to extend their win streak to three games when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. After making strategic changes to their forward lines, coach Peter Laviolette saw positive results that he hopes will continue as the team seeks consistency in both offense and defense.

Laviolette’s Line Changes Pay Off

In response to his team’s offensive struggles in recent games, Laviolette reconfigured the forward lines, moving Mika Zibanejad alongside Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, while Chris Kreider joined Vincent Trochek and Reilly Smith. The new arrangement led to a productive outing in Sunday’s 5-2 win over the New York Islanders, where the Rangers fired off 40 shots and saw Zibanejad notch three assists. The win marked the third time this season that the Rangers have reached the 40-shot mark, and their high-volume offense paid off, with the team outscoring recent opponents by a collective 18-4 in those games.

“It felt good,” Zibanejad said. “I thought all the lines were jelling and playing well. It seemed to work today. Everyone played their own game within the lines.”

In addition to the changes up front, Laviolette reunited familiar defensive pairings, linking Ryan Lindgren with Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller with Jacob Trouba. Both pairings bring extensive chemistry and experience, with Fox and Lindgren logging 320 games together, and Miller and Trouba skating in 354 games as a duo.

“That was actually the easiest of moves because there was so much history in the past,” Laviolette remarked, highlighting the familiarity of these defensive pairs.

Buffalo Finds Offensive Spark Against Ottawa

After a slow start to the season, the Sabres have gained some momentum, posting a 5-4-1 record since their opening three-game skid. They rebounded strongly from a recent three-game losing streak by defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-1 on Tuesday. Buffalo scored three goals in the third period, including two on the power play from JJ Peterka, who had a three-point night with an additional assist on Tage Thompson’s goal. Thompson led the offensive effort with 11 shots and added an assist, marking his eighth goal of the season.

The Sabres’ power play has shown improvement, converting five of 17 opportunities in the past five games, a significant upgrade from their 0-for-22 stretch to start the season.

“That was a perfect response,” Thompson said. “That’s what you want to see. That’s kind of a textbook game on what we want to play.”

Coach Lindy Ruff also made defensive adjustments by benching Henri Jokiharju and Mattias Samuelsson after their recent struggles, a move that paid off as the Sabres limited Ottawa to just one goal.

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Head-to-Head and Key Players to Watch

The Rangers have dominated recent meetings with the Sabres, going 12-1-3 in their last 16 matchups. Zibanejad and Panarin continue to lead the Rangers, with Panarin recording points in 10 of New York’s 11 games this season. For the Sabres, Thompson and Peterka are coming off strong performances and will look to carry their momentum into Thursday’s game.

Both teams come into this game with renewed energy and adjustments that have already shown results. The Rangers hope to maintain their offensive consistency, while the Sabres aim to build on their recent power play success and improve their defensive discipline. This matchup between division rivals could showcase the impact of recent changes and set the tone for both teams as the season progresses.