The upstart Buffalo Sabres head to Carolina, where they'll face a Hurricanes team that beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout on Thursday. Read on for our Sabres-Hurricanes picks and predictions.
The Buffalo Sabres were expected to improve coming into the season, but they've still been an early surprise. Can they keep it up against one of the league's most consistently strong squads?
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes transitioned from a competitive playoff team into a dominant squad after Rod Brind'Amour took over as head coach. The Hurricanes have played to a .713 points percentage since the start of 2020-21. That's the equivalent of a 117-point pace over 82 games.
Both teams are dealing with some injuries, but the Sabres are notably missing three regulars from their defense. Ilya Lyubushkin, Mattias Samuelsson, and Henri Jokiharju are all sidelined.