by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Feb 23, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
Where to watch: BSSUN, MSG-B
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Lightning -225, Sabres +190
FanDuel: Lightning -235, Sabres +190
BetMGM: Lightning -250, Sabres +190
Caesars: Lightning -233, Sabres +192
Season record
Sabres: 28-23-4
Lightning: 36-17-3
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Sabres - Lightning preview, prediction and analysis
The Buffalo Sabres will be playing the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, February 23 in Tampa, Florida.
The Buffalo Sabres lost against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, February 21 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York with a score of 6-3. The Buffalo Sabres currently rank 6th in the Atlantic Division.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on 10 shots for the Sabres (28-23-4) before he was replaced by Craig Anderson (17 saves). Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for Buffalo, which is 2-4-1 in its past seven.
"This was not on 'UPL' just so we're clear on that," Buffalo coach Don Granato said. "That change was made because we didn't have the start. They had jump at the start and we didn't. It was one of those nights where you could see we weren't processing things well. I thought that was the case through the entire game. We didn't look sharp. We didn't feel sharp. We had to battle within ourselves and we challenged them quite a bit on the coaching side."
Toronto scored the first five goals of the game.
"They were simple, they were hard, they were moving their feet," Tuch said. "We got a little bit too lazy and we just weren't playing our game at all. Like you said, horrendous start. Back on our heels, just mistakes, and that's a team that's, I mean, that's an offensive super team. They've got a lot of star power over there. You're going to make defensive mistakes, you're going to allow time and space, they're going to capitalize on it and they did so."
Jack Quinn cut it to 5-1 at 5:12 of the third period on a wrist shot from the right circle, and Tuch pulled Buffalo within 5-2 at 8:01 from the bottom of the right circle to the far side. Jeff Skinner made it 5-3 at 16:29 from the top of the left circle.
Toronto scored the final goal ending the game with a score of 6-3.
The Buffalo Sabres have won five of their last 10 games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning won against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, February 21 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida with a score of 6-1. The Tampa Bay Lightnings currently rank 3rd in the Atlantic Division.
Ross Colton had a goal and an assist for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brayden Point scored, and Nick Perbix had three assists for the Lightning (36-17-3), who are 14-0-1 in their past 15 home games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves.
"It took a bit for us to find our legs," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "I thought we dug in a little bit, a little bit more net front [presence]. ... I think they opened up some stuff for us and the puck started going in for us."
Nicholas Paul gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 7:15 of the second period with a shot from the right face-off circle, and Colton one-timed Mikhail Sergachev's feed from the right circle on a power play to make it 2-0 at 9:48.
"I saw (Lightning radio analyst Phil Esposito) at dinner the other day, and he told me to shoot the puck more," Paul said. "It ended up working."
Anthony Cirelli extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:51 with a backhand after a feed from Perbix, and Zach Bogosian scored his first goal of the season with a slap shot at 13:10 to make it 4-0.
Tampa Bay outshot Anaheim 22-1 in the second period with the Ducks' only shot coming with 1:09 remaining.
"We kind of heard it in the locker room after the first period, saying there were too many turnovers," Colton said. "I think we were feeling their rush and giving them too many chances.
"They have a lot of skilled guys over there and we were giving them chances they didn't deserve. At the start of the second, I thought we dialed it in and played the right way."
Point scored his 200th NHL goal on a power play at 1:06 of the third period to give the Lightning a 5-0 lead, and Corey Perry redirected a feed from Vladislav Namestnikov at 2:23 to make it 6-0.
"It's cool," Point said of his milestone. "It's something you never grow up thinking you're going to do. To do it is pretty cool. I'm getting the puck in good places. [Victor Hedman] hits 500 [assists] and [Steven Stamkos] hits 500 goals, and this. It's a little humbling."
Ryan Strome ended Vasilevskiy's shutout at 6:28 for the 6-1 final.
The Tampa Bay Lightnings have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
I really don't want to throw away what the Sabres have done, but that loss to Toronto was such a gut punch. Now they have to go against Tampa? No idea. Lightning 5, Sabres 3
The Buffalo Sabres lost against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, February 21 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York with a score of 6-3. The Buffalo Sabres currently rank 6th in the Atlantic Division.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on 10 shots for the Sabres (28-23-4) before he was replaced by Craig Anderson (17 saves). Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for Buffalo, which is 2-4-1 in its past seven.
"This was not on 'UPL' just so we're clear on that," Buffalo coach Don Granato said. "That change was made because we didn't have the start. They had jump at the start and we didn't. It was one of those nights where you could see we weren't processing things well. I thought that was the case through the entire game. We didn't look sharp. We didn't feel sharp. We had to battle within ourselves and we challenged them quite a bit on the coaching side."
Toronto scored the first five goals of the game.
"They were simple, they were hard, they were moving their feet," Tuch said. "We got a little bit too lazy and we just weren't playing our game at all. Like you said, horrendous start. Back on our heels, just mistakes, and that's a team that's, I mean, that's an offensive super team. They've got a lot of star power over there. You're going to make defensive mistakes, you're going to allow time and space, they're going to capitalize on it and they did so."
Jack Quinn cut it to 5-1 at 5:12 of the third period on a wrist shot from the right circle, and Tuch pulled Buffalo within 5-2 at 8:01 from the bottom of the right circle to the far side. Jeff Skinner made it 5-3 at 16:29 from the top of the left circle.
Toronto scored the final goal ending the game with a score of 6-3.
The Buffalo Sabres have won five of their last 10 games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning won against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, February 21 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida with a score of 6-1. The Tampa Bay Lightnings currently rank 3rd in the Atlantic Division.
Ross Colton had a goal and an assist for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brayden Point scored, and Nick Perbix had three assists for the Lightning (36-17-3), who are 14-0-1 in their past 15 home games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves.
"It took a bit for us to find our legs," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "I thought we dug in a little bit, a little bit more net front [presence]. ... I think they opened up some stuff for us and the puck started going in for us."
Nicholas Paul gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 7:15 of the second period with a shot from the right face-off circle, and Colton one-timed Mikhail Sergachev's feed from the right circle on a power play to make it 2-0 at 9:48.
"I saw (Lightning radio analyst Phil Esposito) at dinner the other day, and he told me to shoot the puck more," Paul said. "It ended up working."
Anthony Cirelli extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:51 with a backhand after a feed from Perbix, and Zach Bogosian scored his first goal of the season with a slap shot at 13:10 to make it 4-0.
Tampa Bay outshot Anaheim 22-1 in the second period with the Ducks' only shot coming with 1:09 remaining.
"We kind of heard it in the locker room after the first period, saying there were too many turnovers," Colton said. "I think we were feeling their rush and giving them too many chances.
"They have a lot of skilled guys over there and we were giving them chances they didn't deserve. At the start of the second, I thought we dialed it in and played the right way."
Point scored his 200th NHL goal on a power play at 1:06 of the third period to give the Lightning a 5-0 lead, and Corey Perry redirected a feed from Vladislav Namestnikov at 2:23 to make it 6-0.
"It's cool," Point said of his milestone. "It's something you never grow up thinking you're going to do. To do it is pretty cool. I'm getting the puck in good places. [Victor Hedman] hits 500 [assists] and [Steven Stamkos] hits 500 goals, and this. It's a little humbling."
Ryan Strome ended Vasilevskiy's shutout at 6:28 for the 6-1 final.
The Tampa Bay Lightnings have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
I really don't want to throw away what the Sabres have done, but that loss to Toronto was such a gut punch. Now they have to go against Tampa? No idea. Lightning 5, Sabres 3
Betting trends
Sabres are 13-5 revenging a home loss this season.
Sabres are 8-16 after allowing 4 goals or more last game this season.
Lightning are 9-1 off a home win by 3 goals or more this season.
Projected lines
Sabres:
Jeff Skinner -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka -- Dylan Cozens -- Victor Olofsson
Casey Mittelstadt -- Peyton Krebs -- Jack Quinn
Zemgus Girgensons -- Tyson Jost -- Kyle Okposo
Rasmus Dahlin -- Henri Jokiharju
Mattias Samuelsson -- Owen Power
Jacob Bryson -- Ilya Lyubushkin
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Jeff Skinner -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka -- Dylan Cozens -- Victor Olofsson
Casey Mittelstadt -- Peyton Krebs -- Jack Quinn
Zemgus Girgensons -- Tyson Jost -- Kyle Okposo
Rasmus Dahlin -- Henri Jokiharju
Mattias Samuelsson -- Owen Power
Jacob Bryson -- Ilya Lyubushkin
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Lightning:
Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Anthony Cirelli -- Steven Stamkos -- Alex Killorn
Ross Colton -- Nicholas Paul -- Pat Maroon
Vladislav Namestnikov -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Corey Perry
Victor Hedman -- Zach Bogosian
Mikhail Sergachev -- Erik Cernak
Ian Cole - Nick Perbix
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Anthony Cirelli -- Steven Stamkos -- Alex Killorn
Ross Colton -- Nicholas Paul -- Pat Maroon
Vladislav Namestnikov -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Corey Perry
Victor Hedman -- Zach Bogosian
Mikhail Sergachev -- Erik Cernak
Ian Cole - Nick Perbix
Andrei Vasilevskiy
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
