Jan. 19, 2026, 6:15 a.m. ET

The Buffalo Sabres (26-16-5) and Carolina Hurricanes (30-15-4) meet Monday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET (TNT / HBOMax / truTV). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Sabres vs. Hurricanes and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.

Season series: Tied 1-1

The Sabres posted a 4-1 win as moderate underdogs (+160) in the most recent meeting in Buffalo on Nov. 23, as the Under (6.5) cashed. In the first meeting in Raleigh, the Hurricanes doubled up the Sabres 6-3 as heavy favorites (-255) as the Over (6.5) connected.

Buffalo suffered a 5-4 loss in overtime Saturday to the Minnesota Wild as slight home favorites (-120) as the Over (6) cashed. G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed 5 goals on 35 shots, while RW Jack Quinn and C Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist. LW Jason Zucker chipped in with 2 assists, too. Since Dec. 9, the Sabres are 15-2-1 in the past 18 games, while the Over has cashed in each of the past 7 outings.

Carolina roughed up the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on the road Saturday as light favorites (-120) as the Under (6.5) connected. RW Andrei Svechnikov had his fourth-career hat trick, and his second straight game with 3 goals. It’s the fifth time in Whalers/Hurricanes franchise history that a player scored 3+ goals in consecutive games.

Despite traveling on no rest, Carolina was able to carry over the momentum from Friday’s 9-1 home rout of the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes are 6-1-1 across the past 8 games, while the Under has a 3-2 edge in the past 5 outings.

Watch the NHL on Fubo!Sabres at Hurricanes odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 1:38 am. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Sabres +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | Hurricanes -200 (bet $200 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Sabres +1.5 (-145) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+120)Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)Sabres at Hurricanes projected goalies

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (10-6-2, 2.72 GAA, .900, SV%) vs. Brandon Bussi (17-3-1, 2.25 GAA, .902 SV%, 1 SO)

Luukkonen allowed 5 goals on 35 shots in the 5-4 OTL against the Wild Saturday. Still, he has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 3 of the past 4 starts, and 14 of the past 17 outings. He is 3-1-1 with a 3.40 GAA and .896 SV% in 5 January starts.

The rookie Bussi is expected to be in net at home. He allowed a single goal on 16 shots in the 9-1 rout of the 2-time defending Panthers last time the team was at home Friday. In January, Bussi is 4-2-0 with a 2.69 GAA and .887 SV% in 6 January starts.

Sabres at Hurricanes picks and predictionsPrediction

Hurricanes 5, Sabres 3

The Hurricanes (-200) will cost you 2 times your potential return, and that’s way too much for a singular bet, even if you were to use a boost or promo. If you threw Carolina into a multi-leg parlay, that would be OK, as long as you played at least 3 legs.

PASS as a singular wager.

The HURRICANES -1.5 (-145) are a good play as favorites on the puck line. The home team has won each of the first 2 meetings this season, and 9 straight in the series. The home team has won by 2 or more goals in each of the past 5 in the series, too, with a margin of victory of exactly 3 goals in each of the past 4 in the series.

Carolina has outscored the opposition 13-2 in the past 2 games, and since Jan. 4, the Hurricanes are 6-1-1 in the past 8 outings, with 5 of those victories coming by multiple goals.

OVER 6.5 (-105) is a strong play.

The Over has cashed at a 6-4 clip in the past 10 games for the Hurricanes, while the total has gone high in 7 consecutive outings for the Sabres. In the span, Buffalo has averaged 4.6 goals per game in the past 7 outings, while allowing 3.2 GPG.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow @danieledobish on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.