Prediction, Odds & Projected Starting Goalies for Hurricanes vs Sabres Game on Wednesday, January 15th

• The Carolina Hurricanes (26-15-3) face the Buffalo Sabres (16-22-5) on Wednesday night
• We’ve made our Hurricanes vs Sabres prediction for this TNT showdown on January 15, 2025
• Read below for Hurricanes vs Sabres prediction and odds for tonight’s game on TNT

The red-hot Carolina Hurricanes (26-15-3) roll into KeyBank Center to battle the struggling Buffalo Sabres (16-22-5) on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The puck drops at 6:00 PM Eastern Time, with national coverage on TNT, Max, and TruTV.

The Canes enter as heavy -185 road favorites, while the over/under is set at 6 goals. Can Carolina continue their strong play and cover the puck line against the basement-dwelling Sabres? Let’s break it down and find out.

Here is our Hurricanes vs Sabres prediction for Wednesday Night Hockey.

Hurricanes vs Sabres Prediction

I’m backing the Canes to win big on the road against the overmatched Sabres. Carolina has been flat-out dominant in all facets, ranking top-10 in goals for (3.34, 6th), goals against (2.75, 9th), power play (22.8%, 13th), penalty kill (85%, 2nd), shots per game (31.8, 2nd) and shots allowed (25.0, 2nd).

The Canes also boast more scoring depth, with Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas leading a balanced attack. Studs like Jaccob Slavin and Dmitry Orlov anchor their blue line. In net, Dustin Tokarski (4-1-0) is expected to get the call after shutting out the Vancouver Canucks in his most recent outing.

Is there anyone better defensively than Jaccob Slavin?

Watch on FanDuel Sports Network!@Canes | #RaiseUp pic.twitter.com/XqO0lS9wVn

— Hurricanes On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Hurricanes) January 4, 2025

Meanwhile, Buffalo ranks near the bottom in most metrics, especially on defense. The Sabres allow 3.37 goals per game (27th) and have a subpar 78.4% penalty kill (21st). Though Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch provide some offensive punch, it won’t be enough to keep pace with the high-powered Canes.

A deeper dive into the advanced stats over the last 10 games further illustrates Carolina’s edge:

• The Canes have dominated possession with a 58.57% Corsi For percentage and 58.28% Fenwick For percentage, compared to the Sabres’ 45.94% and 46.29%, respectively.
• Carolina is controlling the shot share as well, posting a 56.48% Shots For percentage vs Buffalo’s 47.03%.
• In terms of Expected Goals, the Hurricanes have a 55.36 xGF%, far superior to the Sabres’ 47.34%.
• The Canes are also generating more Scoring Chances (55.34%) and High-Danger Chances (53.63%) than Buffalo.

While both teams have been picking up points lately with similar 5-3-2 and 5-4-1 records, Carolina’s underlying metrics indicate they are playing at a much higher level. The Sabres have relied on inflated shooting (12.63%) and save percentages (91.12%) that are likely unsustainable.

The Sabres have also allowed 22 goals over their last six games, and their defensive issues don’t appear to be improving.

I expect the Canes to control play, light the lamp early and often, and skate to a decisive multi-goal victory. Lay the -1.5 puck line at plus money for max value on the NHL Wednesday slate.

Wednesday Hockey Pick:

• Hurricanes -1.5 (+140 at ESPN)

Hurricanes vs Sabres Odds

The Hurricanes are substantial -185 moneyline favorites to win outright. A successful $185 bet on Carolina would net $100 in profit. The Sabres are +155 underdogs – a $100 wager would return $155.

Carolina is +140 to cover -1.5 goals, while Buffalo is -170 to stay within 1.5 goals. The over/under is 6 goals, with the over slightly juiced at -125 and the under at +105.

Odds as of Jan. 15, at ESPN Bet. Check out our ESPN Bet promo code page for the latest betting offers.

Projected Starting Goalies

Between the pipes, Carolina has a clear edge. Tokarski, while owning limited experience, has superior numbers across the board compared to Luukkonen. The Canes also allow the 2nd-fewest shots per game (25.0), making Tokarski’s job much easier than his counterpart’s.

It looks like Eric Robinson won’t be the only one facing a former team of his tonight, as Dustin Tokarski is the first goalie off the ice at #Canes morning skate in Buffalo.

In his most recent appearance, the veteran backstop had a 14-save shutout over Vancouver.

No surprises… pic.twitter.com/ZwmtC1xrEY

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 15, 2025

Buffalo yields 29.2 shots per game (25th) and spends the 5th-most time shorthanded (5:10). That’s a recipe for disaster against a Canes squad that peppers the net and possesses a lethal power play.

Given the mismatch in net and how well Carolina can clamp down on chances, I’m all in on the Hurricanes despite the road disadvantage. Expect them to expose Buffalo’s defensive flaws en route to a lopsided win.

The Carolina Hurricanes will face off against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, January 15th in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Both teams are coming off of strong performances in their previous games and will be looking to continue their winning streaks.

In terms of predictions, the Hurricanes are currently favored to win this game. They have been playing solid hockey as of late and have a strong roster that is capable of putting up goals. The Sabres, on the other hand, have been struggling a bit and will need to step up their game if they want to come out on top in this matchup.

As for the odds, the Hurricanes are currently listed as -150 favorites to win this game, while the Sabres are listed as +130 underdogs. This means that if you were to bet on the Hurricanes to win, you would need to wager $150 to win $100, while a $100 bet on the Sabres would net you $130 in winnings.

In terms of projected starting goalies, it is likely that Petr Mrazek will get the nod for the Hurricanes, while Linus Ullmark is expected to start for the Sabres. Both goaltenders have been playing well as of late and will be looking to continue their strong performances in this game.

Overall, this matchup between the Hurricanes and Sabres is shaping up to be a competitive one. With the Hurricanes favored to win, but the Sabres looking to play spoiler, it will be interesting to see how this game plays out. Be sure to tune in on Wednesday, January 15th to see which team comes out on top in this exciting matchup.