Buffalo Sabres vs San Jose Sharks Betting Picks

Nothing against the Sabres — they have proven real this season and are a blazing 10-1 since the Olympic break — but getting the Sharks as a home underdog is an opportunity I can't pass up. San Jose is 15-7 in its past 22 times in this role, cashing as a bigger home dog than this nine times during that span. The Sharks are in a position they haven't been in for quite some time, needing a victory this late in the season. San Jose trails Seattle by only one point for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Sharks also have a strong motivation for revenge after a 6-3 road loss to the Sabres on March 10. San Jose has produced at least three goals in each of its last five games. Take the Sharks. 

Buffalo's 8-7 home win against Tampa Bay this past Sunday may have been the game of the year in the NHL. Certainly, it was the most exciting. The Sabres scored three unanswered goals in the final nine minutes to pull out the victory. There were five fights, 100 penalty minutes, and a postgame scrum. Buffalo survived all that and is now in first place in the Atlantic Division. Heady stuff for a team that hasn't made the playoffs during the past 14 seasons. It also puts Buffalo in a huge letdown spot here against the much-improved Sharks, who are sitting one point out of a Western Conference wild card spot. San Jose has been at its best in an underdog role. The Sharks have won 11 of the past 18 times when they've been an underdog. The Sharks are the only team Buffalo has yet to face this season. The Sabres have Eastern Conference foe Washington on deck. This is a tremendous spot for San Jose, and with two of the league's youngest, most talented up-and-coming squads, I'm expecting a close contest. Take the Sharks with big moneyline value. 

Buffalo has won six of the past eight meetings, including 3-0 on Jan. 15 in the only one this season. The Sabres come off a 5-3 win at Los Angeles on Wednesday after overcoming a 3-1 deficit and Alex Tuch scored the go-ahead goal 5:49 into the third period. Devon Levi stopped 37 of 40 shots and he is probable in net today with a 9-7-2 record. San Jose is suffering numerous injuries on the defensive side although the Sharks have somehow won three straight after defeating the New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday. The Sharks still are firmly in last place in the Pacific Division with the worst record in the NHL. San Jose scores only 2.08 goals per game and allows 3.90 and it is 6-24 its past 30 home games versus teams with losing road records. Take the Sabres.