NHL Game Preview & Prediction: Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres

Date: Tuesday, November 21

Time: 7:10 PM EST

Moneyline: Blackhawks +155 | Sabres -188

The Buffalo Sabres will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night in a matchup between two teams navigating significant injury challenges. Despite being banged up, the Sabres enter the contest as heavy home favorites against a rebuilding Blackhawks squad.

Blackhawks Look to Overcome Underdog Status and Injuries

The Chicago Blackhawks come into Buffalo as significant underdogs, and a look at their injury report shows why the road ahead is difficult. The team is dealing with a “lengthy list” of injuries, with the most notable long-term absence being goalie Laurent Brossoit, who is not expected back anytime soon after knee surgery.

As a rebuilding team, Chicago lacks the depth to easily absorb multiple injuries. Their success often depends on outworking opponents and getting stellar performances from their top players. To pull off an upset on the road, they will need to play a disciplined, structured game and find a way to generate offense against a Sabres team that, despite its own issues, has more firepower.

Banged-Up Sabres Lean on Home Ice Advantage

The Sabres are favored, but they are far from healthy. The injury bug has recently hit the team hard, particularly on the blue line. Defenseman Michael Kesselring is out for “weeks” with a lower-body injury sustained in the team’s dramatic overtime win against Detroit on November 15. The team also received bad news regarding forward Jiri Kulich, who is slated to miss “significant time” with a blood clot issue.

However, it’s not all bad news for Buffalo. Head Coach Lindy Ruff confirmed that forward Jason Zucker will be available for the game against Chicago after dealing with an illness. Zucker’s return provides a much-needed boost to a forward group that has shown resilience, evidenced by their recent comeback from a three-goal deficit to win in overtime. Playing at home, the Sabres will look to leverage that momentum and their offensive depth.

Prediction

Both teams are dealing with key absences, making this a battle of attrition. Chicago’s long-term injury situation, especially in goal, puts them at a distinct disadvantage against most opponents.

While the Sabres are missing a key defenseman in Kesselring, their offense gets a timely boost with the return of Jason Zucker. Buffalo has more high-end talent and demonstrated its ability to fight through adversity in its last game. At home, their offense should be able to generate enough pressure to overcome a rebuilding and shorthanded Blackhawks team. The -188 moneyline is steep, but the Sabres are the clear pick to win this game.

The Pick: Buffalo Sabres Moneyline (-188)

Predicted Score: Sabres 4 – Blackhawks 2