New York Islanders vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 03/31/26

The New York Islanders are looking to quickly rebound after suffering an 8-3 loss to the Penguins on Monday when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. That will be a tough task, but after such a rough defensive effort last night in Pittsburgh, I am expecting New York to put forth a much more spirited defensive effort in this one. The Islanders have been among the most sound defensive teams in the NHL this season, as they rank 4th in the league allowing just 2.83 goals per game to their opponents. Their penalty is also among the best in the league, ranking 6th with a kill percentage of 81.6%. Those numbers tell me last night’s lackluster performance was an outlier.

As good as the penalty kill has been for New York, the power play has been woeful all season long. The Islanders are scoring at just a 16.7% clip on the man advantage, which is the 3rd-worst percentage in the league. The New York power play has another tough assignment in this one, as the Sabres possess an excellent penalty kill that is operating at 82.0%. With that in mind, it would be somewhat surprising to see a high-scoring affair in this one. With a total of 6, look to the under.

Islanders vs Sabres prediction: Under 6 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.