Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/09/2026

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Thursday, April 9, 2026

Venue:  KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY

Where to Watch:  ESPN+

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Blue Jackets +110, Sabres -130; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Blue Jackets +110, Sabres -130; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Blue Jackets +110, Sabres -130; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Columbus Blue Jackets:  39-27-12 (4th place, Metropolitan Division)

Buffalo Sabres:  47-23-8 (2nd place, Atlantic Division)

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Columbus Blue Jackets:  3-6-1 last 10

Buffalo Sabres:  5-3-2 last 10

The Blue Jackets are entering this game with 90 points, a 39-27-12 record overall, and they are 19-16-4 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Detroit Red Wings in their last game, winning that one on the road 4-3 in a shootout. Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, and Danton Heinen each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Zach Werenski, Denton Mateychuk, Jet Greaves, Kirill Marchenko, and Mason Marchment each led the team in assists with 1 while Zach Werenski led the team in shots on net in that game with 6. Jet Greaves was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 3 goals on 37 shots with 34 saves and a .919 save percentage. Their offense has scored 245 goals this season averaging 3.1 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 241 goals against them allowing 3.1 goals per game.

The Sabres are entering this game with 102 points, a 47-23-8 record overall, and they are 25-10-4 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in their last game, winning that one at home 4-2, but this is also the 2nd game of a back-to-back for them with their game against the New York Rangers still to be played on Wednesday night. In their game against the Lightning, Jason Zucker, Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn, and Josh Norris each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Bowen Byram led the team in assists with 2 while Alex Tuch led the team in shots on net in that game with 6. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 25 shots with 23 saves and a .920 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 270 goals this season averaging 3.5 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 233 goals against them allowing 3 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Blue Jackets listed as a slight underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Blue Jackets have looked good in their games this season with their 39-27-12 record overall which has them in the top half of their division in the East. They haven't been a great road team though with their 19-16-4 road record this year. Meanwhile, the Sabres have looked great in their games this season with their 47-23-8 record overall which has them right near the top of their division in the East. They have looked great on home ice too with their 25-10-4 home record this season. The Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the last few weeks, climbing up the standings with a chance to win their division now, but lately they have been cooling off and haven't looked as good. They are off a win over the Lightning in their last one, but they are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and aren't in a great situation here either. They are playing this game on a back-to-back with a tough game against the Rangers who have shown some life lately. The Blue Jackets haven't looked that good themselves lately, going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, but they are off a 4-3 road win over the Red Wings which was a big game for them in the Wild Card race and that win will give them some momentum since it also snapped a 6 game losing streak that they were on. The Blue Jackets are also going to have the rest on their side here and they are 2 points out of a Wild Card spot, so they are going to play with some desperation as they need the game more. The best way to place a bet here is on the Blue Jackets to win this game. 

Blue Jackets Sabres Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Thursday, April 9, 2026 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Blue Jackets 3 Sabres 2.

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Columbus Blue Jackets: 27-62 (-19 units) on the moneyline as a road underdog. 49-77 (-8.6 units) on the moneyline against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game. 51-83 (-11.7 units) on the moneyline against good passing teams - averaging 5 or more assists per game. 20-9 OVER as a road underdog of +100 to +150.

Buffalo Sabres: 69-51 (+13.6 units) on the moneyline in home games. 36-29 (+12.2 units) on the moneyline revenging a loss vs opponent as a road favorite. 71-75 (+11.1 units) on the moneyline against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game. 28-15 OVER at home when the money line is -100 to -150.

Columbus Blue Jackets:  M. Wood (LW) Day To Day - Illness. D. Severson (D) Out For Season - Shoulder. D. Voronkov (LW) Out - Hand. M. Olivier (RW) Out - Upper Body. B. Smith (D) Out - Knee.

Buffalo Sabres:  N. Ostlund (C) Day To Day - Upper-Body. S. Carrick (C) Out - Arm. J. Kulich (C) Out For Season - Ear. J. Danforth (RW) Out - Lower Body.

“We had to win that game. That was a great hockey game between two teams that are obviously very evenly matched -- we both came into tonight with 88 points.” - Rick Bowness after his team’s win against the Red Wings in their game on Tuesday. 

“This was a big game for us. This was a big test for us tonight because we knew how big this game was. We knew it was against the team that was sitting there just ahead of us. We didn’t play well in the previous two games (against the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals), and good teams know how to have some pushback. And I thought our guys had great pushback.” - Lindy Ruff after his team’s win against the Lightning in their game on Monday. 

LW Cole Sillinger

C Adam Fantilli

RW Kent Johnson

LD Zach Werenski

RD Dante Fabbro

G Jet Greaves

LW Peyton Krebs

C Tage Thompson

RW Alex Tuch

LD Rasmus Dahlin

RD Mattias Samuelsson

G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Points: Zach Werenski (80)

Goals: Kirill Marchenko (26)

Assists: Zach Werenski (58)

GAA: Jet Greaves (2.59)

Points: Tage Thompson (78)

Goals: Tage Thompson (38)

Assists: Rasmus Dahlin (52)

GAA: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2.55)

Coaches:

Columbus Blue Jackets: Rick Bowness (1st season)

Buffalo Sabres: Lindy Ruff (2nd season)