Hunter Skoczylas shares his top prediction and pick for Wednesday’s NHL matchup between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres.

The Devils play host to the Sabres on Wednesday night at the Prudential Center, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. On DraftKings Sportsbook, New Jersey is a slight -112 favorite on the Moneyline, and the game’s total is set at O/U 6.5 goals.

Below, I’ll share a preview, prediction and pick for tonight’s tilt between the Devils and Sabres.

New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres prediction, preview

Devils preview

New Jersey sent seven players to the Olympics: Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Simon Nemec, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Jacob Markstrom. Hughes netted the golden goal for Team USA to win gold, and although he lost some teeth in that game and has been celebrating with his teammates over the past few days, he is still expected to play tonight. Markstrom will receive some extra rest, and the club will turn to Jake Allen to start between the pipes. The 35-year-old has been better overall than Markstrom this season, but he looked a bit lost prior to the break, losing six of his previous seven starts, while posting a 3.00 GAA and .880 SV%.

The Devils have simply not lived up to expectations this season, as they find themselves second-to-last in both the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference with a 28-27-2 record and 58 points. New Jersey ranks 31st in goals per 60 and 32nd in goals above expected, and is among one of the worst 5v5 teams, too. It ranks 15th in PP% and 19th in PK%, but sees the fourth-fewest power play opportunities per game. Sure, the offense hasn’t produced, but the club also ranks 10th in 5v5 goals against per 60.

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Sabres preview

Buffalo only sent two players to the Olympics: Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, both of which are playing tonight. Like Hughes, Thompson may be fatigued from the gold medal game, but he played well in the Olympics and should be able to carry his strong play into tonight’s tilt. The Sabres will also welcome back Josh Norris after a 12-game absence, but it’s worth noting that Zach Benson didn’t travel with the team for the upcoming three-game roadtrip. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the expected starting goaltender. UPL dealt with injuries prior to the break, but he has looked solid this season, posting a 2.73 GAA and .903 SV% across 20 starts.

The Sabres are essentially the opposite of the Devils, as they rank seventh in goals per 60 and fifth in 5v5 goals per 60. The club ranks 13th in 5v5 goals against per 60, but the offensive production has essentially cancelled it out, and it has put together a nice run since the new year began. Additionally, Buffalo ranks 16th in PP% and seventh in PK%, while drawing the 11th-most penalties per 60. Some recent underlying metrics over the past 10 games or so suggest that the Sabres are overachieving right now, but there should be limited struggles against such a vulnerable 5v5 team such as the Devils.

Devils vs. Sabres pick, best bet

Tonight’s game marks the final game of a three-game season series between these teams. The Devils won 5-0 on Nov. 28, and the Sabres won 3-1 on Dec. 21. Both teams rank inside the top-half of the league in 5v5 goals against per 60. Both teams have middling power play units with either strong penalty kills or disciplined play, which rarely results in penalties.

That all screams under on the goal total to me, but I’m backing the Sabres to pick up the win. 74% of the money and 57% of the bets on DraftKings Sportsbook lie with Buffalo on the Moneyline (-108).

Best Bet: BUF Sabres Moneyline (-108)