Buffalo Sabres vs Winnipeg Jets Picks and Predictions December 5th 2024

The Jets and Sabres are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Sabres will host the game at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Jets come into this non-conference matchup favored by -1.5 goals. The over/under line currently sits at 5.5 goals.

Winnipeg vs. Buffalo Key Information

• Teams: Jets at Sabres
• Where: KeyBank Center Buffalo
• Date: Thursday, December 5th
• Betting Odds WPG -140 | BUF +118 O/U 5.5

The Jets Can Win If…

With a 7-4 win over the Lightning, the Jets improved to 18-8-0. Winnipeg covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 11 goals easily surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5 goals.

Winnipeg trailed 2-0 early, but seven different players found the net to complete the comeback. The Jets scored twice in the second period to tie it up, before adding four more goals in the third to secure the victory.

In their 7-4 win over the Lightning, the Jets’ offense fired 34 shots on goal and scored twice on empty nets. They had 7 goals from 7 different players, with Vladislav Namestnikov netting his 3rd goal of the season. Nikolaj Ehlers added his 9th, while Cole Perfetti scored his 4th on an empty net.

Josh Morrissey contributed two assists, bringing his total to 13 for the season. The Jets’ 4th goal came on a power play, with Alex Iafallo scoring his 1st of the year. Winnipeg recorded 10 assists and scored 4 times in the 3rd period.

Defensively, the Jets will look to improve after allowing the first goal at 13:11 in the 1st period and another at 11:58. They also gave up a 3rd-period goal at 13:09, tying the game at 4-4. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves with an 86.7% save percentage, while the defense recorded 5 takeaways and 31 hits.

• Winnipeg has put together a record of 0-3 in their last three games (regular season). In these contests, the team went just 0-3 against the spread, while going 1-2 on the over-under.
• Across Winnipeg’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 3-7. In these contests, the team went just 3-7 against the spread, while going 2-8 on the over-under.

The Sabres Can Win If…

Following a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Sabres are now 11-12-2 this season. Buffalo led early with a goal from Alex Tuch at 11:39 in the first period, but Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. As underdogs on the puck line, Buffalo failed to cover. All of the Sabres’ scoring came from Tuch, who found the net with a short-handed goal.

Buffalo took 32 shots on goal but only found the net once in their 2-1 loss to the Red Wings. Alex Tuch scored his 5th goal of the season on a shorthanded opportunity at 8:21 in the first period, which was the Sabres’ only goal of the game.

Buffalo had 13 giveaways and failed to score on any of their power play chances. Tuch, who scored the lone goal, took 5 shots on goal.

Buffalo’s defense had a strong first and third period, but they struggled in the second, giving up two goals to Detroit. Both goals came on the power play, at the 7:49 and 14:38 marks. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had 21 saves and a 91.3% save percentage, while the Sabres’ defense added 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

• Buffalo has put together a record of 0-3 in their last three games (regular season). They have held up well vs the puck line in these matchups, going 2-1 as well as an over-under record of 2-1.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Sabres have gone 4-6 straight up. In these contests, the team went just 5-5 against the spread, while going 5-4-1 on the over-under.

The Lean

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sabres to defeat the Jets while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +118, I’m placing a wager on the Sabres to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Sabres winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Sabres straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

Two Teams, One Goal: Ending the Slide

The Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres will each take to the ice on Thursday night desperate to end troubling trends. Both teams enter the matchup riding four-game losing streaks, with the Jets struggling to score and the Sabres grappling with defensive lapses.

Jets’ Offense Goes Cold

The Jets opened the season as one of the league’s most dominant teams, winning 15 of their first 16 games while averaging an impressive 4.6 goals per contest. However, Winnipeg’s high-octane offense has sputtered during their recent 3-7-0 stretch, producing just 2.2 goals per game and being held to one goal or less in six of those contests.

Winnipeg’s struggles were evident in Tuesday’s 4-1 home loss to the St. Louis Blues, where Mark Scheifele scored the lone goal late in the game. The team has dropped three straight road games and is just 3-6-0 away from home.

“We need to be better as a group,” said coach Scott Arniel, emphasizing the need for the Jets to stick to their early-season formula.

Sabres Reeling After Collapse

The Sabres’ issues are different but equally troubling. After building a 4-0 first-period lead against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, Buffalo gave up five unanswered goals to lose 5-4 in what captain Alex Tuch called a “learning experience.”

“We just need to be better,” Tuch said. “Honestly, just don’t forget how this feels.”

The Sabres have now dropped four straight games (0-3-1) and allowed 12 goals in their last three contests, including nine in two home games. Their inability to close out games has kept them from building on a solid stretch where they won seven of nine.

Key Matchups

Jets’ Forwards vs. Sabres’ Goaltending

Winnipeg stars Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele lead the team with 13 goals apiece but have struggled to find the net during the losing streak. The Sabres’ goaltending duo of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and James Reimer will need to step up, especially after Luukkonen allowed five goals on 41 shots in the loss to Colorado.

Buffalo’s Offense vs. Winnipeg’s Defense

Buffalo’s offense, led by Alex Tuch (23 points), has shown flashes of brilliance but needs more consistency. The Jets’ defense and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who has allowed eight goals in his last three starts, will need to regain their form to stifle the Sabres’ attack.

Special Teams

The Sabres have been inconsistent on the power play, and their penalty kill has been exposed during this stretch. Winnipeg, which has relied heavily on its top lines, must capitalize on any man-advantage opportunities to turn its fortunes around.

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Injury Watch

• Buffalo Sabres: Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin exited Tuesday’s game with back spasms and is questionable for Thursday. Dahlin, who has 19 points this season, would be a significant loss for Buffalo.
• Winnipeg Jets: No new injuries, but the team will need contributions from secondary scorers to lighten the load on Connor and Scheifele.

What to Expect

Both teams have plenty to prove. For the Jets, rediscovering their offensive rhythm and avoiding costly mistakes will be crucial. Meanwhile, the Sabres must shore up their defensive play and find a way to finish games.

Prediction: Jets 3, Sabres 2 (OT)