The Florida Panthers (1-1-0) travel to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (0-3-0) on Saturday, October 12th. This game will be played at KeyBank Center in Buffalo and televised on ESPN+. Both the Panthers and Sabres will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Panthers vs Sabres

The Florida Panthers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Florida’s record dropped to 1-1-0 after a 3-1 loss to the Senators. The Panthers were favored on the puck line, but they failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Defensively, the Panthers gave up two goals in the first period. They managed to cut the deficit to 2-1 with a goal in the second period, but the Senators sealed the game with an empty-net goal in the third.

The Buffalo Sabres Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Buffalo dropped to 0-3-0 after a 3-1 loss to the Kings. The Sabres were favored on the puck line, with the total set at 6 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that number.

Buffalo held a 1-0 lead after Alex Tuch scored a short-handed goal in the second period, but the Kings responded with three goals in the third. The Sabres’ defense struggled, allowing the tying goal just 13 seconds into the final period.

Florida Offense Breakdown

Gustav Forsling netted his first goal of the season for the Panthers, who fired 31 shots on goal in their 3-1 loss to Ottawa. Forsling’s goal came 4:12 into the second period, with Sam Bennett earning his first assist of the year and Matthew Tkachuk picking up his second.

Carolina had 13 giveaways and failed to score on the power play. The team was shut out in the first and third periods.

Sabres Offense Breakdown

Buffalo’s offense struggled in their latest game, managing just one goal in a 3-1 loss to the Kings. Alex Tuch netted his first goal of the season, scoring shorthanded at 16:55 in the second period. The Sabres fired 33 shots on goal but failed to convert on any power play opportunities.

Buffalo recorded 13 giveaways and did not register any assists. The Sabres were shut out in the first and third periods, with Tuch’s goal being their only tally.

Florida Team Defense

Defensively, the Panthers gave up two early goals, both in the first period, but they didn’t allow another until an empty-netter with 1:10 left in the third. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves and a 93.3% save percentage. The Panthers’ defense also had 2 takeaways and 20 hits.

Buffalo Team Defense

Defensively, the Sabres will need to bounce back after giving up three goals in the 3rd period to the Kings. The first came just 13 seconds into the period, followed by another at the 1:38 mark and an empty-netter with 42 seconds remaining. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 20 saves with a 90.9% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense added 8 takeaways and 28 hits.

Panthers vs Sabres Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, Florida has an puck line mark of 3-7. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Across the Sabres last three home games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
• As the betting underdog, the Sabres have an puck line mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Buffalo posted a straight up mark of 2-8 in these matchups.
• Over the team’s last five games as the favorite, the Panthers struggled vs the puck line going just 2-3. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-2.

Panthers vs Sabres Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Panthers to secure a victory over the Sabres on the road. With the moneyline currently set at -136, I’m locking in my bet on the Panthers straight-up.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Sabres to cover. Even if the Panthers manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Sabres should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet 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.