The Buffalo Sabres will play host to the Winnipeg Jets who will begin a short two-game road trip and look to continue to push for a playoff spot. The Edmonton Oilers will host the Los Angeles Kings with an Edmonton victory putting them even with the Kings at 81 points in the Pacific Division standings.
Moneyline: Buffalo Sabres (+140) vs Winnipeg Jets (-167)
The Jets are a desperate team that can’t afford to lose games if they want to try and clinch a playoff berth this season. Winnipeg had a few days off since their last game against the Arizona Coyotes on March 27 and should be well-rested and waiting for a Buffalo team that is returning home from their massive 6-5 comeback victory against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Sabres have put together a good run of competitive hockey games with five of their last six games being decided in overtime or a shootout. The Jets are also riding a two-game win streak of their own, both of which came in overtime. The return of Ehlers has allowed the Jets to balance their top two lines accordingly and have been enjoying a resurgence of Blake Wheeler, who is on a five-game points streak. Kyle Connor has been the offensive powerhouse for the team, and despite going pointless in his last outing, has 20 points in his last 11 games.
This is the first meeting between the two teams since 2021 when the Sabres bested the Jets. This one will go in the Jets’ favor. With both teams being able to score in bunches of late, you can also take the over of six goals at -120.
Moneyline: Edmonton Oilers (-200) vs Los Angeles Kings (+165)
The Oilers bounced back in their last game with a 6-1 beatdown of the Arizona Coyotes after being shelled in a 9-5 loss to the Calgary Flames in the game prior. Mikko Koskinen got the win against the Coyotes and is the confirmed starter on the first night of a back-to-back after coming off a victory.
The Oilers are getting contributions from their depth forwards, which has helped them win games, but their superstars have also returned to superstar level. Leon Draisaitl is on a tear with seven goals in his last four games and 17 points in his previous nine games.
The Kings are coming off a tough 6-1 loss against a poor Seattle Kraken team with Cal Petersen taking the brunt of it. The Kings should put up a much better effort considering the extent of their loss and will probably turn to Jonathan Quick in goal. He owns an 8-3-4 record with a .912 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average on the road this season. The Oilers are rolling at home with seven straight wins on home ice where they are 21-12-0 and the streak won’t end when the Kings roll into town.
Odds via BetMGM and Yahoo
