Hockey is finally back! The New Jersey Devils face off against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague this Friday and Saturday, marking the season opener for both teams. These two games will mark the 8th and 9th games NHL teams have played in the O2 Arena in Prague.
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The Devils are the betting favorite as they’re currently priced around -140 on the moneyline. The Sabres, on the other hand, are slight underdogs at +135.
This early-season matchup offers an excellent preview of what's to come for two teams looking to shake off disappointing prior seasons.
As it stands, the Devils are the favorites. They’ve been 58% backed to win, according to early betting trends.
Buffalo carries a 42% implied probability of taking the game. This might have to do with New Jersey’s roster depth and talent, spearheaded by defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who will likely play an important role in this overseas game. Buffalo, a youthful team, has shown tons of promise but might find it tough to keep up with New Jersey’s firepower in the season opener.
The over/under for the game is set at 6.5 goals, with the under slightly favored at -120.
Given the nature of season openers, especially one happening overseas, both teams could show some early-game rust. That could explain why bookmakers are slightly leaning toward a lower-scoring game.
However, with both teams’ offensive talents, it’s tough to dismiss the over altogether.
Dougie Hamilton is most likely to be a game-changer here.
He’s one of the NHL’s top shooting defensemen, and with Luke Hughes sitting on the sideline, Hamilton will see a few more minutes on both the top power-play unit and the first defensive pairing.
Last season, he averaged over 3 shots per game when playing at least 18 minutes. He consistently cleared the 2.5 shots on the goal line — if you’re into player props.
Hamilton over 2.5 shots (-135) is a solid prop bet here, considering he already took 25 shots in three preseason games.
His ability to generate offensive pressure from the blue line will be one of the most important aspects in breaking down Buffalo’s defense, which, though improved, we think will struggle to keep Hamilton off the scoreboard.
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The Devils are riding high on a seven-game winning streak against the Sabres, which makes New Jersey -1.5 a tempting puck line bet.
Buffalo has lost several games by multiple goals in the past when up against stronger competition like New Jersey.
Both teams have some offensive firepower, but the Devils’ superior depth and their ability to dominate in their recent head-to-head matchups make them the clear favorite here.
We really expect Tage Thompson to play a key role for Buffalo, but he alone likely won’t be enough to secure the upset which leads us to what we’re going to bet on for the Devils vs. Sabers game in Prague.
Our best bet is to back Dougie Hamilton over 2.5 shots (-135). For the game result, expect New Jersey to cover the -1.5 puck line and the under 6.5 goals to hit.
BettorsInsider Final Prediction: Devils 4, Sabres 2.
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