The Calgary Flames have matched their longest winning streak of the season with five in a row ahead of a five-game homestand that begins tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. In that span, Calgary has outscored its opponents 25-12. Sportsbooks opened the Flames as -220 home favorites with a total of 6.5.
- The total has gone OVER in five of the Sabres’ last seven games vs the Flames (avg. combined score: 5.86).
- The Sabres are 1-7 SU in their last eight games on the road vs the Flames.
- The Sabres are 2-12 SU in their last 14 games as an underdog.
Sabres have had major issues in Calgary
Calgary has flat-out dominated the Sabres at home over the years, going 7-0-1 SU in its past eight at Scotiabank Saddledome vs Buffalo. The Flames became the second team in the league to record 30 wins with a 7-1 drubbing of the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. On the year, Calgary has scored at least seven tallies on six occasions – the most for the franchise since accomplishing it eight times in the 1992-93 season.
The Sabres’ five-game road trip got off to a bad start in the form of a 7-2 thrashing at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers that was Buffalo’s third loss in a row. The lone bright spot in the game was rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who had an assist while registering six shots on goal and logging a team-high 22:46 of ice time. Captain Jack Eichel has been struggling of late, evidenced by the American failing to find the scoresheet in five straight contests.
Sabres are going OVER on the road with ease
When the Sabres hit the road, high-scoring affairs tend to follow. In Buffalo’s past seven road games, the OVER is 5-2 with an average combined score of 5.9 goals. The Flames have been a rock-solid bet to go OVER on their own, as Calgary has cashed OVERs in its last four games with an average combined score of 7.5 goals.
Betting the high-octane Flames is not cheap these days, and their -220 price will likely scare off bettors due to the steep chalk. But Calgary has been producing as a favorite, going 7-0 SU in its past seven when getting the favorite label. On the flip side, the Sabres are a mere 2-12 SU in their last 14 as underdogs.
My pick: take the OVER
The Flames have been one of the hottest OVER teams in the league when playing at home, as Calgary’s O/U at Scotiabank Saddledome is a sizzling 17-5-1. That record combined with the Sabres’ penchant for going OVER on the road leads me to believe we could be in store for more offensive fireworks tonight in Alberta.
