Welcome to a Presidential Election Day in the USA edition of NHL Predictions in November 2024. Each day our writers here at Last Word on Hockey take a look at the games, breaking down the key matchups and providing relevant analysis to how they might play out. Something like how all the analysts and TV personalities will be breaking down the results as the votes are counted. Today we feature the Ottawa Senators, the team from the Canadian national capital as they travel just across the border to the West of New York State and take on the Buffalo Sabres. Don’t forget to check out all the action, as our writers continue our NHL predictions throughout the 2024-25 season.
NHL Predictions
Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres, from KeyBank Center
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: RDS2, TSN5, ESPN+
All-Time Regular Season Record Buffalo Leads Over Ottawa at 75-61-10-10
Keeping Things Upbeat for the Ottawa Senators
For both teams really, their superstars are coming to play. But we shall start with the Sens. Tim Stutzle is hot right now. Moreover, he has points in six of his last seven contests. Over that span, he has three goals and seven assists. If the guys that need to produce for the Sens, are producing, that is a good sign, such is the case with Stutzle and the Sens offence.
Along with the stars, the Sens also benefit greatly from depth scoring. Despite some injuries challenging their depth, one candidate has emerged through the red tape, Adam Gaudette. This is a player who barely made the team out of camp, but has stuck around. All of his six goals on the season have come in the last five games. This is made all the more impressive, when over ten games thus far, he is only averaging 9:55 of ice time.
As we mentioned, the Sens have had injuries to contend with through the NHL season. Recently, Shane Pinto, Artem Zub, and David Perron have all missed time. From yesterday’s practice, we know Pinto and Zub must be close, but that’s about it. The two of them were taking reps together as a duo, to not mess with the continuity of the four forward lines and three defensive pairs. Zack Ostapchuk remains with the club and is the likely replacement with Pinto out of the lineup for today. However, check throughout the day for the absolute latest lineup news before locking in your fantasy starters.
Ottawa is likely to go with Linus Ullmark in net. They’ve had to juggle the goaltending ice time more than they would have anticipated thus far, but it has been working. Anton Forsberg has played well when he’s gotten action.
The Buffalo Sabres Will Push Ottawa to the Final Ballot Call
The Buffalo Sabres feel like they matchup well against Ottawa. Therefore, they will be ready to go for this one. Just like the Sens, when we want to talk about the guns they have firing, there truly are plenty of options. That is why their current record is disappointing on the big picture. Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, and JJ Peterka are as competitive of players as many teams can throw out there. However, the Sabres are fundamentally a weak, system-based team. You need to play like a team to win, similar to Ottawa in previous seasons.
Tage Thompson has been campaigning hard this year to show he’s back in the race. The scoring race? Maybe, but also the race for a call from Team USA as a member of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off squad. When the power forward is going, he is tough to stop and he possesses an absolute missile of a one-timer. Before being shutout in the team’s last game against Detroit, Thompson was riding an eight-game point streak.
NHL Predictions: Sabres and Senators
Buffalo comes in on a three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Ottawa has been going back and forth on wins and losses more so. Both teams really want this one. Buffalo has the advantage at home with last change, something that Ottawa has struggled with is playing on the road. Their only win in five road games was against the Utah HC. Head coach Travis Green will have them ready tonight and look for them to put an end to that trend.
Prediction: Ottawa win in regulation, 4-1.
According to Fanduel, if we want to look at adding some friendly wagers on the outcomes, check these out. Tage Thompson as a first goal scorer is +1200, we like that for the magnitude of the payout. For a Sens anytime scorer, Gaudette has been so hot, and pays at +500, another one that might just be worth absorbing the risk. Finally, with the moneyline at -106 on Ottawa, we like taking that as well.
Main Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
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