The Buffalo Sabres (14-19-4) travel to face off against the Dallas Stars (21-13-1) on Tuesday, December 31st. This game will be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas and televised on ESPN+. Both the Sabres and Stars will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 ET.

Sabres vs Stars

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo’s record fell to 14-19-4 after a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings. The Sabres held a 1-0 lead after the first period, but Detroit responded with two goals in the second. Buffalo’s defense allowed both goals while on the penalty kill.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. Buffalo, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. The Sabres’ lone goal came at 11:39 in the first period, a short-handed effort by Alex Tuch.

The Dallas Stars Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Dallas fell to 21-13-1 with a 4-2 loss to the Panthers. The Stars were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined score reaching 6.

After falling behind 2-0, Dallas tied the game with two goals in the second period. However, the Panthers responded with two more goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Buffalo Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense struggled in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch netting the Sabres’ only goal, his 5th of the season. Tuch scored on a shorthanded opportunity 8:21 into the first period.

Despite taking 32 shots on goal, the Sabres were unable to find the net again. They recorded 13 giveaways and did not score on the power play.

Stars Offense Breakdown

Dallas fired 25 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 4-2 loss to Florida. Evgenii Dadonov scored his second goal of the season, while Matt Duchene added his seventh. Dadonov’s goal came on a power play, with Wyatt Johnston earning his fifth assist and Duchene picking up his eighth.

Miro Heiskanen recorded his fourth assist on Duchene’s goal, and Thomas Harley notched his fifth. The Stars were held scoreless in the first and third periods, with both of their goals coming in the second.

Buffalo Team Defense

Buffalo’s defense will be looking to bounce back after giving up two goals in their previous game, both of which came on the power play in the 2nd period. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves and posted a 91.3% save percentage. The Sabres’ defense also registered 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Dallas Team Defense

Defensively, the Stars had a rough start and finish, allowing the first goal at 5:15 in the first period and two more in the third, including an empty-netter. Goalie Casey DeSmith made 21 saves with an 87.5% save percentage. The defense also recorded 5 takeaways and 26 hits.

Sabres vs Stars Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Buffalo has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 4 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• Across their five previous home games, Dallas has an puck line mark of 1-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-3 while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Stars have a straight up record of 0-3. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 0-3.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Sabres have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.

Sabres vs Stars Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sabres to defeat the Stars while playing on the road. Given the current moneyline odds at +181, I’m placing a wager 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.

With an over/under line sitting at 6 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.