Last year the Tampa Bay Lightning breezed through the regular season with ease to win the Presidents Trophy as the best regular season team going away. And as it turned out that was precisely the problem. That lack of pressure and a challenge made the Bolts unprepared to face the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Tampa Bay was swept in that opening round series which was one of the biggest upsets in NHL post season history. So far, the Lightning seemed to have learned their lesson. They are not at all extending themselves in the regular season as shown by a sluggish start. By contrast the Buffalo Sabres have bolted out of the gate. Buffalo and Tampa Bay will meet in Sweden on Friday!
NHL Global Series Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Date and Time: Friday, November 8, 2019, 2 p.m. ET
Location: Ericsson Globe, Stockholm, Sweden
NHL Betting Online Odds at Bookmaker.eu: Check Back Later
Sabres vs. Lightning TV Coverage: NBCSN
Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Wagering Odds Analysis
Betting action should flow to the Lightning based on their name brand recognition as a team that has been among the most successful in the NHL over the last several seasons. Buffalo has not done enough to prove itself with a skeptical betting public.
Current Form
Buffalo has impressed all with a record of 9-2-1-1 and seven games over the total. The Sabres rank 11th for goal scoring and second for the power play. Defensively Buffalo has looked strong with a ranking of sixth for goals against.
Tampa Bay is 6-4-2 with 7-5 over the total. The Lightning rank 10th for goals scored and sixth for the power play. Tampa Bay ranks a disturbing 24th for goals against and 29th for penalty killing.
Key Sabres: C Jack Eichel (7 G, 10 A, 17 PTS, -5, 4 PPG, 5 PPA, 13.5 SPCT), D Rasmus Dahlin (1 G, 10 A, 11 PTS, -4, 0 PPG, 7 PPA, 3.8 SPCT), C Sam Reinhart (5 G, 6 A, 11 PTS, -3, 1 PPG, 4 PPA, 16.1 SPCT), RW Victor Olofsson (6 G, 4 A, 10 PTS, -4, 6 PPG, 2 PPA, 20.7 SPCT), LW Jeff Skinner (7 G, 3 A, 10 PTS, -1, 0 PPG, 3 PPA, 12.7 SPCT), G Carter Hutton (6-2-1, 2.09 GAA, .928 SV%, 2 SO), G Linus Ullmark (3-2-1, 3.12 GAA, .915 SV%, 1 SO)
Key Lightning: C Steven Stamkos (5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS, -4, 3 PPG, 1 PPA, 12.8 SPCT), RW Nikita Kucherov (4 G, 7 A, 11 PTS, 0, 1 PPG, 2 PPA, 12.5 SPCT), D Kevin Shattenkirk (4 G, 6 A, +4, 1 PPG, 1 PPA, 11.1 SPCT), C Brayden Point (4 G, 6 A, 10 PTS, 0, 0 PPG, 1 PPA, 17.4 SPCT), LW Ondrej Palat (5 G, 4 A, 9 PTS, +6, 1 PPG, 1 PPA) G Andrei Vasilevskiy (5-4, 3.12 GAA, .904 SV%, 0 SO), G Curtis McElhinney (1-1-2, 3.94 GAA, .899 SV%, 0 SO)
Buffalo and Tampa Bay against the Spread
The Sabres are:
5-3 in their last eight away games
6-3 over the total on the road
8-12 vs. Atlantic Division teams
7-4 over the total against the Atlantic Division
4-16 in their last 20 games with the Lighting
6-5 over the total in their last 11 games against Tampa Bay
The Lightning are:
15-4 against Atlantic Division opponents
9-4 over the total vs. the Atlantic Division
11-8 in their last 19 away games
7-4 over the total away from home
Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Free Picks
Buffalo should bring a vastly superior price and value against a Tampa Bay team taking too many shifts off on the back end.
Sabres vs. Lightning NHL Odds Best Bet: Buffalo Sabres
Sabres vs. Lightning NHL Odds Score Prediction: Sabres 3, Lightning 2
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
