Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Buffalo Sabres, currently sitting in second-to-last place in the Atlantic Division, are looking to snap a three-game losing streak in regulation. On Wednesday night, the Sabres face off against the Ottawa Senators on home ice. Over the weekend, the Senators secured a shutout victory over the Seattle Krakens (3:0) and are now on the cusp of the playoff zone.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are struggling significantly with the effectiveness of their special teams. They have managed to convert power plays in just three games this season. Their match against the Detroit Red Wings (1:2) highlighted the issue: the Sabres are not generating enough chances at even strength to offset their utterly power play. The hosts are converting only 8.57% of their opportunities into goals, which ranks as the lowest in the league.
Ottawa Senators
In contrast, the offensive resurgence for the Senators is largely due to their lethal power play. They are converting almost every third opportunity (33.33%) and are among the top three teams in this metric. At least eight members of the special teams have found the net, with Brady Tkachuk (7+8) scoring four times. The overall talent level in the Senators is sufficient to maintain solid shot conversion rates: for instance, Claude Giroux (5+6) and Thomas Chabot (1+5) do not even feature in the top power play unit.
Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa Senators Prediction
When it comes to the percentage of expected goals at even strength, the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators are on par (50% compared to 50.8%), meaning special teams will likely decide the outcome. Here, the gap between the teams is enormous. We are backing a win for the Senators.
