PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's Puck Line Game of the Year
(NHL) Buffalo vs. NY Rangers,
01/18/2018 2:30 PM, Score: 3 - 4
Point Spread: -1.50 | 162.00 NY Rangers (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -1.50 | 162.00 NY Rangers (Home)
Result: Loss
The Buffalo Bills ended their long playoff drought this season. The Buffalo Sabres won't. The Sabres, who last made the postseason in 2011, are the second-worst team in the NHL behind only Arizona.
No team has fewer goals than the Sabres with 99. They are on pace to score the third-fewest goals in franchise history.
This is part of why I like the Rangers to win by more than one goal in tonight's game. There is much more, though.
New York is coming off an impressive 5-1 home victory against Philadelphia two days ago. That was the Rangers' 14th victory in their last 19 home games.
Buffalo is off a rare victory, too. The Sabres defeated Columbus, 3-1, a week ago. Buffalo has not played since in accordance with the league-mandated break for each team. So the Sabres figure to be extremely rusty. They are 1-4 the past five times they played following being idle for three or more days.
You have to go back to Oct. 23-24 to find the last time the Sabres won consecutive games.
The Rangers just don't want to give back that victory they earned against the Flyers by losing this game. This is a kill spot for them - and I see them routing the rusty and punchless Sabres. Taking a nice plus price on the puck line is a good reward.
No team has fewer goals than the Sabres with 99. They are on pace to score the third-fewest goals in franchise history.
This is part of why I like the Rangers to win by more than one goal in tonight's game. There is much more, though.
New York is coming off an impressive 5-1 home victory against Philadelphia two days ago. That was the Rangers' 14th victory in their last 19 home games.
Buffalo is off a rare victory, too. The Sabres defeated Columbus, 3-1, a week ago. Buffalo has not played since in accordance with the league-mandated break for each team. So the Sabres figure to be extremely rusty. They are 1-4 the past five times they played following being idle for three or more days.
You have to go back to Oct. 23-24 to find the last time the Sabres won consecutive games.
The Rangers just don't want to give back that victory they earned against the Flyers by losing this game. This is a kill spot for them - and I see them routing the rusty and punchless Sabres. Taking a nice plus price on the puck line is a good reward.
