Best NHL Prop Bets Today: Start the New Year Fading the Sabres Defense

After a slow start to their year, the Colorado Avalanche look to take their hot stretch of play into 2025 and continue to climb back up the Central division standings. They have a great opportunity to start the new year with a win as they face off against the Buffalo Sabres who rank well below league average in Expected Goals Against in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play.

Later in the night, the Tampa Bay Lightning look to get back into the top three in the Atlantic division standings as they are currently two points back from the Boston Bruins for the last auto berth in the playoffs. In their current standing, the Lightning have to compete against the rest of the Eastern Conference for one of the two wildcard spots. Luckily for Tampa, they face off against the San Jose Sharks as they severely underwhelm on both sides of the ice.

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Buffalo Sabres vs. Colorado Avalanche - Prop Bets (9:00 PM, EST)

Colorado Avalanche Team Total Over 3.5 (-137) at Caesars Sportsbook

After entering the year listed as one of the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, the Colorado Avalanche have struggled to look the part as the losses racked up at an alarming rate. Even during their prolonged cold stretch of play, their offense had no issue with generating high-quality scoring opportunities as their front line heads into the new year ranked fifth overall in Expected Goals For in All Situations with an average of 3.36 Expected Goals per game.

Against Buffalo, the Avs offense will have the opportunity to control the pace and assault their net with a high volume of Shots on Goal as the Sabres back line struggles in coverage. As of writing, the Sabres defense ranks 27th overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations and 23rd in 5-on-5 Play. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has also underwhelmed in his starts this season as the Sabres starting goalie is currently averaging nearly three Goals Against per game and a .898 Save Percentage.

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Artturi Lehkonen Anytime Goalscorer (+205) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Since making his return from injury, Artturi Lehkonen has wasted no time in his efforts of pressuring the net as the Avs forward is averaging 0.51 Expected Goals and 2.23 Shots on Goal per game. Lehkonen feeds off of reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon as he exploits the high-quality shooting lanes that opposing back lines create when they shade their coverage toward the star center. Against the underwhelming Sabres defense, expect Lehkonen to be in a great position to score.

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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. San Jose Sharks - Prop Bets (10:30 PM, EST)

Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 Puck Line (-105) at BetMGM Sportsbook

Like the Avalanche, the Tampa Bay Lightning also got off to a slow start to the year after entering the season with high expectations. Heading into 2025, the Lightning are currently out of the top three in the Atlantic division standings and have to compete with the rest of the Eastern Conference for one of the two wildcard spots in the playoffs.

In order to avoid that situation, the Lightning need to get back into the win column and spark a hot stretch of play. They have the opportunity to do just that as they face off against the lowly San Jose Sharks who rank in the bottom five in Expected Goals For and Expected Goals Against in All Situations. With a lack of production on both sides of the ice, expect the Lightning to prolong their time of possession in San Jose’s zone and generate high-quality scoring opportunities while their defense smothers the Sharks' front line.

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Fabian Zetterlund Under 2.5 Shots on Goal (-190) at BetMGM Sportsbook

With the Tampa Bay Lightning defense ranking top-10 in Expected Goals Against in All Situations, generating offensive production will be a struggle for the anemic Sharks offense. Fabian Zetterlund already underwhelms in his efforts of pressuring the net as he averages just 1.99 Shots on Goal per game and is now in a position to struggle again as he tries to weave the puck through low quality shooting lanes.

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