The Tampa Bay Lightning (1-2-0) and Buffalo Sabres (0-2-0) meet Tuesday at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Lightning vs. Sabres odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Lightning have stumbled out of the chute, and a big reason is that they’re missing their captain C Steven Stamkos and G Andrei Vasilevskiy. Stamkos is questionable to play, as he makes his way back from a lower-body injury, but Vasilevskiy is out until at least late November or early December.
Tampa has lost the first 2 games on the road trip in Detroit and Ottawa by a combined 11-6 score, and the Over is 2-0-1 this season.
Buffalo is off to a slow start, getting outscored 8-3 in a pair of losses to the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. The Sabres were expected to contend for a playoff spot this season, but it’s been more of the same futility so far.