Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions for Saturday October 31 2026
Buffalo just won a 7-6 game in Anaheim. Seven goals scored, six allowed. Tage Thompson had a hat trick, everybody got their money’s worth, and the Sabres escaped with two points.
Now they’re playing a Los Angeles team that hasn’t won a home game yet.
I know the Kings are capable of playing much better hockey than their record suggests. But I’m not going to ignore an 0-3 home start, especially when they’re missing some important scoring help. Buffalo isn’t perfect either. Far from it. Still, I like the Sabres to keep this road trip moving in the right direction.
Buffalo visits Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 31, with puck drop at 4 PM ET. I couldn’t verify a dependable current moneyline or total, so I’m making the picks without attaching an invented price. I’m taking Buffalo to win and leaning toward the Over. Get ready for all the NHL action with our free NHL picks.
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Buffalo Sabres Have Plenty of Offense but Need Some Saves
Buffalo is 6-4-3, including 2-1-3 away from home. The Sabres have been finding ways to pick up points, even if some of those games have been a little wild. Thursday’s 7-6 win over Anaheim was a perfect example. Scoring seven is great. Giving up six isn’t something the coaching staff will be celebrating.
Buffalo has scored 40 goals in 13 games and allowed 46. That’s a minus-six goal difference despite a winning record. The Sabres have averaged three goals over their last ten games but allowed 3.5. That’s why I’m not rushing to call them a playoff powerhouse. They’re creating enough chances to win, but the defense and goaltending have made too many games unnecessarily close.
Thompson has six goals and five assists over his last ten games, and his hat trick against Anaheim showed how quickly he can take over. Owen Power has two goals and nine assists this season, giving Buffalo production from the blue line. But the injury list is getting uncomfortable. Alex Lyon is out with an upper-body problem, while Jiri Kulich, Matt Grzelcyk and Conor Timmins are also unavailable. Those absences matter, especially when Buffalo has already been giving up too many goals.
Los Angeles Kings Need to Figure Out Home Ice
The Kings are 4-6-2 and haven’t won in three home games. That’s not what you want from a team that usually expects its building to be an advantage. Los Angeles has gone 4-5-1 over its last ten, so it’s not as though everything has been terrible. But the scoring has been inconsistent, and the injuries aren’t helping.
The Kings are averaging 2.6 goals and allowing 2.5 over their last ten games. That’s actually a decent defensive number. The problem is the offense. Los Angeles has had too many nights where two goals feels like a major accomplishment. Against Buffalo, there should be opportunities because the Sabres have been allowing plenty. But the Kings still have to finish them.
Artemi Panarin has six goals and four assists over his last ten appearances. Adrian Kempe has three goals and five assists this season. Those two can certainly cause Buffalo problems. But Kevin Fiala is out with a leg injury, Mats Zuccarello is unavailable, and Brandt Clarke is dealing with an upper-body issue. The Kings have other injuries as well. That’s a lot of missing help for a team already having trouble scoring.
Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions
Buffalo Sabres Moneyline
I’m taking Buffalo. The Kings have been better defensively, and that’s the biggest reason to hesitate. If Los Angeles turns this into a tight 2-1 game, Buffalo could have problems. But the Kings haven’t won at home, and they’re missing important offensive pieces. Buffalo just scored seven against Anaheim, and Thompson is playing well. I don’t need another seven-goal performance. Three or four should be enough to give the Sabres a good chance. I’ll take Buffalo to win a close one.
Over 5.5 Goals — Target Total
I’m looking at Over 5.5, but I wouldn’t chase this number too high. Buffalo’s last game finished with 13 goals, and the Sabres have allowed 46 through 13 games. That’s a lot. Los Angeles hasn’t been scoring consistently, but Buffalo’s defensive problems should give the Kings some opportunities. The concern is the Kings slowing everything down and turning this into a low-event game. I can see that happening. But I think Buffalo’s offense forces Los Angeles to take a few chances. Something like 4-2 Sabres is what I’m expecting.
Final Picks: Buffalo Sabres Moneyline and Over 5.5 Goals (target total)
Preview prepared October 30, 2026.
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