Sabres vs Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds (Oct 13)
By SportsHub Model · Edited by Kyle Parker ·
Last updated: October 13, 2026 | Odds checked: October 13, 2026, 3:40 PM ET
The Buffalo Sabres (3-3-0) visit the Montreal Canadiens (2-2-1) tonight at Centre Bell. The NHL lists a 6:30 p.m. ET start (puck drop around 6:40) on TSN2 and RDS in Canada and MSG-B in Buffalo. Montreal is -154 to -161, total 6.5. Buffalo is on a back-to-back without defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Our pick: Canadiens moneyline (-161), high confidence.
Sabres vs Canadiens Odds
| Market | Sabres | Canadiens |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +125 to +134 | -154 to -161 |
| Puck line | +1.5 (-185 to -196) | -1.5 (+148 to +160) |
| Total 6.5 | Over -110 to +100 | Under -112 to -122 |
At -161, Montreal implies about 61.7%. Every licensed book we checked has the total at 6.5, with the Under shaded as the favorite.
Sabres: Second Night, No Dahlin
Buffalo has scored 2.67 goals per game (22nd) and allowed 3.67 (26th), per NHL.com. The penalty kill is a real problem at 60.0% (30th), and the power play sits at 13.6% (25th).
The Sabres beat Florida 5-3 at home on Monday night. Before that they dropped two straight at home: 4-0 to Dallas and 4-1 to Utah. Their only road game was a 6-3 loss at Columbus.
Tage Thompson leads the team with 4 goals and 7 points, and Owen Power has 4 assists.
Dahlin left Monday's game with a lower-body injury, did not travel to Montreal and is out tonight, per Daily Faceoff.
In goal: Buffalo hasn't confirmed a starter. Daily Faceoff lists Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as unconfirmed. He is 2-2-0 with a 3.67 GAA and .812 save percentage, and he won Monday in relief. The other option, Ellis, is 1-1-0 with a 3.19 GAA and .864.
Canadiens: Fowler Gets the Net
Montreal scores 2.8 goals per game (19th) and allows 3.8 (27th). The power play has been the league's worst at 5.9% (32nd). The penalty kill is 76.2% (21st), and the Canadiens win 53.9% of faceoffs (4th).
Montreal beat Detroit 1-0 in a shootout on Saturday. That came after home losses to Nashville (5-2) and Carolina (6-4). The Canadiens opened with a 3-2 win at Toronto.
Nick Suzuki drives the offense with 3 goals and 7 points.
In goal: Jacob Fowler is confirmed, per Daily Faceoff. He is 1-1-0 with a 1.46 GAA, .938 save percentage and one shutout, per NHL.com. Sam Montembeault is on injured reserve.
Key Matchup: Fowler vs Buffalo's Shaky Crease
| Stat | Sabres | Canadiens |
|---|---|---|
| Goals/game | 2.67 (22nd) | 2.8 (19th) |
| Against/game | 3.67 (26th) | 3.8 (27th) |
| Power play | 13.6% (25th) | 5.9% (32nd) |
| Penalty kill | 60.0% (30th) | 76.2% (21st) |
| Faceoffs | 47.2% (26th) | 53.9% (4th) |
The team numbers look close, but the goalie matchup isn't. Fowler's .938 sits well above Luukkonen's .812 and Ellis's .864. Buffalo's team save percentage is .829. Montreal's power play is ice cold, but it faces the league's third-worst penalty kill.
Injury Report
| Team | Player | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | Rasmus Dahlin | D | Out (lower body) |
| BUF | Alex Lyon | G | IR (upper body) |
| BUF | Jason Zucker | LW | IR (abdomen) |
| BUF | Conor Timmins | D | IR (lower body) |
| BUF | Matt Grzelcyk | D | IR |
| MTL | Mike Matheson | D | Out (lower body) |
| MTL | Ivan Demidov | RW | IR (lower body) |
| MTL | Sam Montembeault | G | IR (lower body) |
| MTL | Oliver Kapanen | C | IR (lower body) |
| MTL | Florian Xhekaj | LW | Day-to-day |
Hottest NHL Handicappers This Week
The last seven days (Oct 7–Oct 13) on SportsHub's NHL board, ranked by net profit:
| Handicapper | Record | Win % | Net ($) | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keylor Santos | 6-2 | 75.0% | +$380 | 38.8% |
| Freudy Hockey | 6-2 | 75.0% | +$367 | 40.1% |
| Pro Picks - Mike | 6-3 | 66.7% | +$320 | 26.9% |
Santos and Freudy Hockey are also the top two over the last 15 days. See the full board on our handicappers page.
Sabres vs Canadiens Prediction
Our pick: Canadiens moneyline (-161), high confidence.
- The model sees a big gap. It gives Montreal 73%, well above the 61.7% that -161 implies.
- The goalie edge is wide. Fowler is at .938 with a 1.46 GAA. Buffalo's crease is at .829 as a team.
- Buffalo is tired and thinner. The Sabres played Monday night, travel to Montreal, and play without Dahlin.
- Buffalo's kill leaks. A 60.0% penalty kill (30th) gives even Montreal's struggling power play a target.
The risk: Montreal allows 3.8 goals a game, and Fowler has made only two appearances. A hot Tage Thompson can steal one.
Projected score: Canadiens 4, Sabres 2.
For more, see today's NHL picks, the NHL hub, our handicapper leaderboard and the latest weekly picks results.
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