Chris Boline
- What: Buffalo Sabres vs. Detroit Red Wings – 2022-23 NHL Regular Season
- When: Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. EST
- Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
- How to watch: TNT
The Buffalo Sabres are traveling out to Michigan to take on the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night in what is one of the most intriguing games on the NHL slate. The Eastern Conference battle will feature two of the younger teams in the league as they look to make a statement in the Motor City. This could be a high-scoring affair between two teams that can rack up goals in a hurry. We’re going to make some Sabres-Red Wings picks for Wednesday’s clash.
Before diving into the NHL regular-season betting action, make sure to check out our hockey how-to betting guide, as well as our NHL betting guide, both of which have plenty of useful information, tips, and tricks to help improve your experience.
Sabres vs. Red Wings Odds
 | Puck Line | Money Line | Total |
| Sabres | +1.5 (-220) | +115 | O 6.5 (-110) |
| Red Wings | -1.5 (+180) | -135 | U 6.5 (-110) |
Heading into Wednesday night’s matchup, there’s not much separating the Red Wings and Sabres. The Red Wings (-135) are slight favorites to get a win over the Sabres (+115). The puck line is set at Sabres +1.5 (-220), indicating the books are anticipating a close game. Additionally, the total is set for 6.5 goals, with both the over and under sitting at (-110).
Sabres Best Bets
The Sabres are enjoying breakout seasons from multiple players on the roster, namely Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. The duo are making big plays each and every night, and the Sabres will be leaning on them once again when they head to Detroit to take on the Red Wings. Unfortunately, their success hasn’t translated to the rest of the team, which is still struggling.
The Sabres are in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, having lost eight of their last 10 games. Offensively, there’s not many teams that stack up with Buffalo, who has scored the second-most goals in the division (81), trailing only the Boston Bruins (89). The Sabres are averaging 3.68 goals per game this year, capable of running up the score even against some of the league’s best defenses.
It’s through their own defense that the Sabres are vulnerable, however. Across the entire Eastern Conference, only the Columbus Blue Jackets have surrendered more goals in 2022-23 than the Sabres have. Buffalo has just a +2 goal differential, due to the fact they’ve conceded 79 goals this year (3.59 goals against per game). Their goaltending has been inconsistent and their defense allows too many good looks on goal.
Despite their recent struggles, I’m envisioning the Sabres to put up a fight against the home team and steal a win on the road to put an end to their poor run of form. The Red Wings may struggle to keep pace with the Sabres’ high goalscoring output, which could result in an upset win for Buffalo. I’m backing Thompson and Dahlin to carry the Sabres to a win in Detroit. Sabres’ Money Line (+115) is the pick here.
Red Wings Best Bet
The Red Wings aren’t the most prolific offensive team in hockey, but unlike the Sabres, their defense has held its own thus far into the year. Entering the game at 11-6-4 and in fourth in the Atlantic Division, the Red Wings will look to keep their playoff pace with a win over the struggling Sabres. Buffalo is 9-12-1 and has only won two games in their last 10, coming off back-to-back losses ahead of Wednesday’s showdown.
The Red Wings have split their last 10 games with five wins and five losses, two of which came in overtime. On the season, Detroit has scored 68 goals, good for an average of 3.23 goals per game. They’ve been sharper defensively, where they’ve allowed just 65 goals (3.05 per game). The team is led by stars Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, both of whom have been enjoying strong seasons.
While the Red Wings have a strong defense, they’ve seen plenty of goals scored on both sides during their last five games. There has been at least seven goals in four of their last five games, and with a matchup against a high-octane Sabres offense looming, there’s reason to believe another high-scoring game is on the docket on Wednesday. The Red Wings have scored three or more goals in five straight games, including seven goals vs. the Sharks and six vs. the Blue Jackets.
Because of the way Detroit has been scoring of late, and taking advantage of some shoddy defenses in the process, I’m expecting this game to soar over the total of 6.5 goals. The Sabres are one of hockey’s worst defensive teams, and the Red Wings have been in some high-scoring games over the past couple of weeks. Those factors have me confident that the Sabres and Red Wings will surpass seven total goals without much of an issue. The second pick for this game is the Total Goals OVER 6.5 (-110).
Before making your own Sabres-Red Wings NHL picks, make sure to check out our top sportsbook reviews to find the best site to match your betting needs.
