The New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres open their 2023-24 National Hockey League regular seasons Thursday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Sabres odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Rangers lost the 3-game season series to the Sabres in 2022-23, dropping 2 of 3 meetings. None of the matchups were able to be decided in regulation, and 4 straight in the series have needed either overtime or a shootout while 10 of the last 12 in the series have been decided by a single goal. The last time a team won by more than 1 goal in this series was a 3-1 win by the Blueshirts at MSG on April 27, 2021.
The Sabres figure to be much better this season, and they’re looking to snap the league’s longest active postseason drought. Buffalo has failed to make the playoffs in 12 straight seasons, last appearing seeing postseason action in 2010-11.
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