Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Game Preview, Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips & more | Jan 6th 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins (19-14-4) welcome the Buffalo Sabres (16-19-4) to PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, Jan 6 at 7 p.m. ET.

Pittsburgh secured a 6-5 win against the Bruins on Jan 4, while Buffalo claimed a 6-1 road victory over the Canadiens on the same day.

Catch the game on ESPN+, MSG-B, and SportsNet PT, as both teams enter the game with recent wins.

Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Game preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins exhibit a balanced performance by scoring 3.08 goals per game and allowing 2.73 goals per game.

Their power play operates at a 14.4% success rate, while their penalty kill is 82.6%.

Sidney Crosby leads the offensive charge with 22 goals and 19 assists, amassing 41 points at an impressive rate of 1.1 per game.

In goal, Tristan Jarry holds an 11-11-2 record, maintaining a 2.58 GAA and a .912 SV%.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres hold an average of 3.00 goals per game and allow 3.39 goals.

Their power play success rate is 14.2%, while their penalty kill is 78.3%. Casey Mittelstadt leads with 11 goals, 22 assists, and 63 shots on goal.

In goal, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen boasts a 7-8-2 record, a 3.13 GAA, and a .892 SV%.

Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Head-to-head and significant numbers

• The Penguins and Sabres have faced each other in a total of 220 games, spanning both regular season and playoffs, with the Penguins holding an overall record of 101-76-35-2 (56.6%) against the Sabres.
• In regular season contests, the Penguins maintain a 101-72-35-2 (56.4%) record against the Buffalo Sabres.
• The Penguins' longest winning streak of 9 games over the Sabres, commencing with a 4-1 victory on Oct 5, 2013, and extending until Mar 29, 2016.
• Currently, the Penguins showcase a strong 82.61% penalty kill success rate, ranking 10th in the league, while the Sabres hold the 22nd position with a 78.33% penalty kill percentage.
• The Sabres win 46.3% of faceoffs, placing them at 30th in the NHL, while the Penguins lead the league with the highest faceoff win percentage at 55.5%.

Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Odds and prediction

As the favorite this season, Pittsburgh has emerged victorious in nine out of 21 games. When facing odds lower than -174 in nine matchups, the Penguins have secured six wins, boasting a 63.5% chance of winning this game.

On the other hand, the Sabres have played as underdogs in 26 games this season, achieving eight upset wins, resulting in a 30.8% success rate.

Buffalo's track record of winning six out of 13 games when considered an underdog with odds at +146 or longer presents a 40.7% chance for the Sabres to secure victory on Saturday.

Prediction: Penguins 4 - 2 Sabres

Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Betting tips

Tip 1: Result: Penguins to win

Tip 2: Total goals over 6: Yes

Tip 3: Sidney Crosby to be first goalscorer: Yes

Tip 4: Sabres to beat the spread: No