The Tampa Bay Lightning (36-21-4) look to continue their impressive run as they welcome the Buffalo Sabres (24-30-6) to Amalie Arena on Thursday night, with the home team riding a remarkable streak of nine wins in their last ten games.
Tampa Bay's high-powered offense, led by Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel who have combined for 58 goals and 100 assists this season, has been averaging an impressive 3.56 goals per game while their defense has tightened up considerably, allowing just seven goals in their last six contests.
The Sabres, despite struggling with the Eastern Conference's worst record, have shown offensive capability with Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka contributing 48 goals and 54 assists, though their defensive woes continue as they've surrendered 19 goals in their last four games.
The contrast between Tampa Bay's stellar goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy (.923 save percentage) and Buffalo's challenges with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.892 save percentage) could prove decisive in this matchup.
While the Lightning aim to strengthen their position in the Atlantic Division's top three, the Sabres seek to reverse their fortunes and prove they can compete with the conference's elite teams.
This compelling matchup features two teams heading in opposite directions as the trade deadline approaches, setting the stage for what promises to be an intriguing NHL contest at Amalie Arena.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Tampa Bay Lightning vs Buffalo Sabres matchup, our predictive model gives the Lightning a 60% chance of defeating the Sabres.
Pre-game probabilities
Tampa Bay Lightning
Moneyline
Win %
60%
40%
Buffalo Sabres
Tampa Bay Lightning: 60% win probability
- Explosive offense (218 goals scored, 3rd highest in the league)
- Strong win record (36 wins in 61 games, 0.590 win percentage)
- Solid goal differential (+58, among top 5 in the league)
Buffalo Sabres: 40% win probability
- Poor recent form (LLLLW in last 5 games)
- Defensive struggles (208 goals against, 4th worst in Atlantic Division)
- Road performance issues (Last place in Atlantic Division with 54 points in 60 games)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Buffalo Sabres | |
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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres preview
The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Buffalo Sabres at Amalie Arena in what promises to be an intriguing matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions as the trade deadline approaches.
The Lightning have been on fire lately, winning nine of their last ten games and establishing themselves as a formidable force in the Atlantic Division with a strong 36-21-4 record.
Led by the explosive Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel, who have combined for an impressive 58 goals and 100 assists this season, Tampa Bay's offense has been lighting up the scoreboard with 3.56 goals per game.
The Sabres, despite struggling with a 24-30-6 record, have shown offensive promise through the dynamic duo of Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka, who have contributed 48 goals and 54 assists between them.
Tampa Bay's defensive prowess has been equally impressive, with veteran defenseman Victor Hedman anchoring a unit that has allowed just seven goals in their last six games, while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy has posted a stellar .923 save percentage.
Buffalo's defensive woes continue to be their Achilles' heel, surrendering 3.45 goals per game and allowing 19 goals in their last four matches, despite solid individual performances from Rasmus Dahlin and Bowen Byram.
The contrast between the teams' goaltending situations is stark, with Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggling with a .892 save percentage compared to Vasilevskiy's dominant presence in net for the Lightning.
With Tampa Bay's balanced attack and superior defensive metrics, combined with their home-ice advantage at Amalie Arena, the Lightning appear poised to continue their winning ways against a Sabres team searching for answers.
Keep an eye on Jake Guentzel, who has seamlessly integrated into the Lightning's offensive scheme since joining the team, adding another dangerous dimension to their already potent attack.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres form
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres head to head
Tampa Bay Lightning
17%
Buffalo Sabres
83%
Apr 15, 2024
Tampa Bay Lightning
2 : 4
Buffalo Sabres
Mar 1, 2024
Tampa Bay Lightning
2 : 3
Buffalo Sabres
Jan 20, 2024
Buffalo Sabres
1 : 3
Tampa Bay Lightning
Oct 17, 2023
Buffalo Sabres
3 : 2
Tampa Bay Lightning
Mar 4, 2023
Buffalo Sabres
5 : 3
Tampa Bay Lightning
Feb 24, 2023
Tampa Bay Lightning
5 : 6
Buffalo Sabres
