Vancouver Canucks vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction & Picks - NHL
USA - NHL
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by Taavi Pailk | in NHL Picks
Two struggling teams go head-to-head on Thursday night in the NHL, as the Buffalo Sabres will visit the Vancouver Canucks at the Rogers Arena.
The Sabres are stuck at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, earning just 28 points so far with a 12-14-4 record. Meanwhile, the Canucks hold the worst record in the West and the entire league with 11-16-3, totaling 25 points.
Vancouver had a fairly decent start to the campaign, but the team has won only five times since November. Last week, the Canucks shocked a very good Minnesota Wild side with a 4-2 victory, but they have netted only two goals in their other three December outings.
On Thursday, the Sabres will try to record a second consecutive win for only the sixth time this season. Lindy Ruff's team blew a three-goal lead in the third period on Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers, but the Sabres still came away with a 4-3 victory in overtime.
Buffalo has also recently beaten Minnesota, and Ruff saw his side rock the Carolina Hurricanes last month. These results show that the Sabres have a lot of potential, but they seem unable to maintain consistency.
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Vancouver Canucks vs Buffalo Sabres Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4
|
109 | 2122 | 42 | 23 | +47 |
|
32
|
58 | 2631 | 15 | 48 | -95 |
Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres Latest Matches
1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
Dec 8, 2025 - NHL
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1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
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2/6 (33%)
4/6 (67%)
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3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
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4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
Dec 1, 2025 - NHL
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2/6 (33%)
4/6 (67%)
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Vancouver Canucks against Buffalo Sabres : Head to Head (H2H)
33 %
67 %
Jan 21, 2025 - NHL
Nov 29, 2024 - NHL
Jan 25, 2018 - NHL
Players list
K. Lankinen
T. Demko
T. Willander
E. Pettersson
Q. Hughes
M. Pettersson
T. Myers
F. Hronek
E. Kane
A. Raty
L. Karlsson
D. O'Connor
A. Bains
K. Sherwood
C. Garland
B. Boeser
J. DeBrusk
D. Kampf
N. Hoglander
M. Sasson
A. Lyon
U. Luukkonen
B. Byram
M. Samuelsson
O. Power
J. Bryson
C. Timmins
R. Dahlin
T. Kuntar
P. Krebs
J. Dunne
R. McLeod
I. Rosen
Z. Benson
T. Kozak
J. Doan
J. Quinn
T. Thompson
J. Greenway
B. Malenstyn
Vancouver Canucks - Buffalo Sabres Key Points
- The Sabres ended a four-game losing streak in the head-to-head matchup last season with a 3-2 victory in Vancouver.
- Vancouver owns a 4-9-1 record at home this season, winning the second-fewest home games in the league.
- Buffalo has won the fewest road games in the league, holding a 3-9-2 record across 14 away outings.
- The Canucks have the third-worst penalty kill in the NHL at 72.0 percent, while the Sabres are among the best penalty-killing teams with an 86.2 percent success rate.
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Our Vancouver Canucks vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction
Vancouver is expected to have Thatcher Demko back in the crease on Thursday night, which will be a boost for the side. However, Elias Pettersson will likely sit out a third consecutive game, and he is a huge miss for the frontline. Pettersson shares the team lead in scoring with Quinn Hughes, having posted 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 28 games.
The Sabres lost Jason Zucker and Josh Norris from the lineup this week. But they still have plenty of firepower in the lineup and should be able to capitalize on Vancouver's poor form.
Our prediction for Buffalo Sabres vs. Vancouver Canucks: Sabres to win.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
