Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins 2026 NHL Playoffs Series Preview, Picks, Odds

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 17, 2026, 11:08am

After finishing in 14th in the Eastern Conference standings last year, the Buffalo Sabres have been able to round back into dominant form, jumping up to second this season while winning the Atlantic division title in the process. Their resurgence on offense played a major role in their turnaround, fielding a front line who ranks near the top of the board in most offensive metrics.

Facing off against the Sabres in the first round of the playoffs are the Boston Bruins who managed to hold off the Ottawa Senators for the first wildcard spot in the wildcard standings. A stunning performance from the Bruins when factoring in their level of play on the ice, a group who grades out poorly in Expected Goals For and Against.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Betting Analysis

While the Bruins racking up 100 points is commendable, it’s hard to envision them being able to build on their momentum when their back line ranks near dead last in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. With their defense allowing opposing front lines to pressure their net at a high rate, they are forced to play in highly volatile contests, lowering their chances of winning.

Fortunately for the Bruins, Jeremy Swayman has been able to keep them competitive, averaging 2.71 Goals Against per game and a .908 Save Percentage. While the Bruins goalie has been able to ward off regression, wear and tear will start to rear its ugly head the deeper they go into the series, affecting the speed of Swayman’s cuts across the crease.

Once slowed down, the width of the Sabres shooting lanes in front of the net will widen, drastically improving the quality of their Shots on Goal. Boston can ill-afford to give Buffalo’s front line any sort of advantage, needing to contain a group who ranks in the top half of the board in Expected Goals For in 5-on-5 Play with an average of 2.07 Expected Goals per game.

Especially when their own front line is incapable of exploiting the Sabres gaps in coverage, attempting to match their output with a unit who ranks in the bottom ten in Expected Goals For in All Situations. With no hope of being able to keep it close on the scoreboard, the Bruins will dig themselves too deep into a hole for them to climb out of, resulting in a quick series.

While I debated wagering on the Sabres to win in a sweep, their lack of production on defense does swing variance towards the Bruins favor, making it worth the extra security of just betting on their series spread. For some more exposure, parlay their series moneyline with the Tampa Bay Lightning who are also in a great position to move on to the next round of the playoffs.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Prediction, Pick & Best Bet

Sabres to cover the -1.5 series spread is the series best bet.

Best Bet: Buffalo -1.5 (+115)
Series Prediction: Sabres 4-2 (+400)

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Schedule

Sun., Apr. 19 – Boston at Buffalo, Game 1 – 7:30 p.m./ESPN
Tue., Apr. 21 – Boston at Buffalo, Game 2 – 7:30 p.m./ESPN
Thu., Apr. 23 – Buffalo at Boston, Game 3 – 7:00 p.m./TNT
Sun., Apr. 26 – Buffalo at Boston, Game 4, 2:00 p.m./TNT
Tue., Apr. 28 – Boston at Buffalo, Game 5 if nec. – TBD
Fri., May 1 – Buffalo at Boston, Game 6 if nec. – TBD
Sun., May 3 – Boston at Buffalo, Game 7 if nec. – TBD

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Odds

Series Winner

Sabres (-180)
Bruins (+150)

Series Spread

Sabres +1.5 (-320)
Sabres -1.5 (+115)
Sabres +2.5 (-800)
Sabres -2.5 (+240)
Bruins +1.5 (-135)
Bruins -1.5 (+260)
Bruins +2.5 (-300)
Bruins -2.5 (+550)

Total Games

4 Games (+550)
5 Games (+250)
6 Games (+215)
7 Games (+210)

Series Score

Sabres 4-0 (+850)
Sabres 4-1 (+400)
Sabres 4-2 (+400)
Sabres 4-3 (+425)
Bruins 4-0 (+1900)
Bruins 4-1 (+900)
Bruins 4-2 (+850)
Bruins 4-3 (+600)

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Betting Resources

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Series Players to Watch

Buffalo Sabres

Tage Thompson – Season Stats: 40 goals, 41 assists, -6
Rasmus Dahlin – Season Stats: 19 goals, 55 assists, +18
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – Season Stats: 22-9-3, 2.52 GAA, .910 SV%

Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak – Season Stats: 29 goals, 71 assists, +4
Charlie McAvoy – Season Stats: 11 goals, 50 assists, +13
Jeremy Swayman – Season Stats: 31-18-4, 2.71 GAA, .908 SV%

Photo Credit: AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.