NHL Betting - Will the Sabres Be Struck by Lighthing?

NHL Betting – Will the Sabres Be Struck by Lightning?

Two struggling teams meet in Tampa Bay as part of a very busy night on the Thursday NHL schedule. Buffalo will try to get back on the winning track and maintain their solid positioning in the Eastern Conference while the Lightning will try to make up a little ground on eighth place Boston.

Buffalo Sabres (36-22-10) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (28-29-12)
7:30 PM ET, Thursday, March 18, 2010
St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida
On: XM Satellite Radio Channel 209

Buffalo Sabres: -125

The Buffalo Sabres currently sit in the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings despite going only 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and remaining winless in their last three. The Sabres most recent loss in Atlanta added to a dismal 1-10 road record in their last 11 games – something that is going to have to change as the Sabres play 9 of their last 14 games on the road. . One saving grace is that their next opponent, Tampa Bay has been just as bad recently and the fact that Buffalo is 8-1 in their last 9 meetings against the Lightning.

The offense has been average as usual but the bread and butter goaltending has really been the Sabres downfall lately. Ryan Miller was pulled in less than six minutes of his last game after giving up three goals on five shots. Miller is 1-4-3 in his last 8 games on the road with a 3.37 goals against average. Miller and the rest of the Sabres are going to have to be better down the stretch especially on the road. They are a good team and now it is time to prove it.

Tampa Bay Lightning: +105

The Tampa Bay Lightning, even though they have been a horrendous 2-7-1 in their last 10 games only sit six points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference with thirteen games left . They are 1-4 in their last five home games and have not looked good in the process.

The Lightning offense has dried up. They have only scored two goals in their last two games. It may be a case of the team overachieving during their pre-Olympic run that saw them get as high as ninth place in the Eastern Conference or it could be the case of injuries at the wrong time. Fourth leading scorer Ryan Malone is out for four weeks and defensive anchor Mathias Ohlund is also dealing with injury. Take those two out of an already thin lineup and Tampa seems like the below average team that they are performing like.

Every team goes through their slumps at different times of the year and the Buffalo Sabres appear to be going through theirs. Ryan Miller has been a disaster lately but that will not continue. Being pulled in his last game should be motivation enough for Miller and the rest of his team to play better.