Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction: Expect a Total Over

Prediction for the NHL match which will take place on December 31. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Alas, Buffalo has once again become one of the league's top underdogs in the regular season. Last season, the young and ambitious team nearly made it to the playoffs for the first time in a long time, after which we expected further progress, but instead, the Blades are only 14th in the Eastern Conference standings. At the same time, their results still have no positive dynamics. In the last 14 meetings, they have only four wins while suffering ten defeats, eight of which were in regulation time. After the December break, the Yellow and Blue have played one game, losing to Boston - 1:4.

We are unlikely to see Columbus, which continues to be among the hopeless outsiders in the league year after year, in the fight for a playoff spot. The Jackets didn't have a bad debut in the regular season, as they were scoreless in only two of their opening seven games, but their exploits have become increasingly rare. They were especially disappointing in November when they went on a nine-match losing streak. After that, the results improved a bit; in the last three games, they lost to Washington 2:3, Toronto 1:4, and New Jersey 3:6. Three consecutive failures have strengthened Pascal Vincent's team on the penultimate line in the Eastern Conference standings.

Buffalo and Columbus are opponents of comparable skill levels and ambition in the current regular championship. Both teams do not qualify for the playoffs, being among the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. At the same time, the first face-off of the season, which took place two weeks ago, was won by the Jackets - 9:4. In the upcoming matchup, they should not be without points, as they show a more complete and balanced game, they have enough character to deal with the league's outsiders, and the skillful Russians can make the difference.

The confrontation between Buffalo and Columbus in recent years has always guaranteed bright and sharp attacking hockey. In the last ten head-to-head meetings, the rivals scored 91 pucks (9.10 per game on average). In addition, nine times out of ten, the Blades and Jackets have scored at least three pucks against each other.