Philadelphia Flyers vs Buffalo Sabres Picks and Predictions for Wednesday October 21 2026
Philadelphia couldn’t buy a win for the first nine games of the season. Now the Flyers have won two straight, including a 3-2 victory over Colorado on Monday. Funny how quickly things can change in hockey. Buffalo has been winning some games, too, but the Sabres keep making things harder than they need to be. They’ve allowed 33 goals in nine games. That’s not exactly the kind of defense you want to bet your paycheck on.
The Flyers head to KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Puck drop is at 7:30 PM ET, with TNT, truTV, and HBO Max carrying the game. Buffalo is favored around -180, Philadelphia is getting +160, and the total is 5.5 goals. Check out our free NHL picks for more predictions.
Philadelphia Flyers Finally Have A Couple Of Wins
Philadelphia is 2-6-3, which still isn’t pretty. But after going nine games without a win, the Flyers have beaten Ottawa 3-1 and Colorado 3-2. Not bad. They scored twice in the second period against the Avalanche on Monday and held on when Colorado tried to make a game of it late. That’s the kind of win a struggling team needs. Whether the Flyers can keep it going against Buffalo is another story.
The offense has been terrible. Philadelphia has scored 17 goals in 11 games. That’s 1.55 per night, and you’re not winning many hockey games with that kind of production. The Flyers have allowed 35, which works out to 3.18 per game. Their power play is converting only 12.9%, so that’s not helping. The penalty kill has been better at 84.6%. That’s one thing Philadelphia can feel good about, especially against a Buffalo power play that’s converting only 9.1% of its chances. Neither club has been doing much with the man advantage.
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The Flyers have gotten some better production from their younger players lately. Their leading goal scorer has four in the last five games, and their top playmaker has five points during that stretch. That’s encouraging, but Philadelphia is still missing some important players. Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett are on injured reserve, and Cam York is out, too. That’s a lot to overcome for a team that already has trouble putting the puck in the net. The Flyers need another strong game from their goalie, because I don’t see them suddenly scoring five or six against Buffalo.
Buffalo Sabres Have To Clean Up The Defense
Buffalo is 4-3-2, and the Sabres have been entertaining, I’ll give them that. They beat Florida 5-3, got past Toronto 5-4 in overtime, and then lost 4-3 to Montreal in overtime Saturday. There’s been plenty of scoring. The trouble is that half the time it’s the other team doing it. Buffalo has allowed at least three goals in seven of its nine games. That’s a lot of nights where the goalie is looking over his shoulder.
The Sabres are scoring three goals per game. That’s enough to win if you can keep the other team under control. Buffalo hasn’t been doing that. The Sabres are allowing 3.67 goals a night, and their penalty kill is sitting at 64.5%. Sixty-four and a half. That’s awful. The power play isn’t much better at 9.1%. Buffalo has been getting by with its even-strength offense, but there’s only so much of that you can ask for. The good news is Philadelphia’s power play has been almost as bad, so the Sabres might get a little relief Wednesday.
Buffalo’s leading point producer has seven points over the last five games, and its top goal scorer has three goals during that stretch. The Sabres can score. Nobody’s arguing that. But the goaltending has been shaky, and Alex Lyon remains out with an upper-body injury. Jason Zucker could make his season debut Wednesday, which would give Buffalo another option up front. The Sabres have enough offense to beat Philadelphia. They just need to avoid handing the Flyers a bunch of easy chances. That’s been easier said than done.
Philadelphia Flyers vs Buffalo Sabres Picks and Predictions
Buffalo Sabres Moneyline (-180)
I’m taking Buffalo, but I don’t love that price. Laying -180 on a team allowing 3.67 goals a game isn’t exactly my idea of a comfortable bet. The Sabres have been giving up too many chances, and Philadelphia has won two straight. That’s enough to make me nervous. But the Flyers are still scoring only 1.55 goals a night, and they’re missing some important offensive players. Buffalo is at home, has more scoring depth, and should be able to get three goals against this defense. If the Sabres can keep Philadelphia to two, that’s probably enough. I’ll take Buffalo, but I’d rather see a cheaper number.
Under 5.5 Goals (+116)
I’ll take the under 5.5 at plus money. Buffalo’s defense is the obvious problem. The Sabres have allowed 33 goals in nine games, and they’ve had some wild ones lately. But Philadelphia has scored only 17 goals in 11 games. Seventeen. That’s not much to work with. The Flyers’ last two games finished 3-1 and 3-2, and they’re still missing some of their better offensive players. Buffalo should get its chances, but I don’t think Philadelphia is going to contribute enough goals to turn this into a shootout. The risk is the Sabres giving up a couple of cheap ones and having to chase the game. That could wreck the under in a hurry. I’m looking for 3-2 Buffalo.
Final Picks: Buffalo Sabres Moneyline (-180) and Under 5.5 Goals (+116)
This preview was completed October 20, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, starting goaltenders, and other game information may change before puck drop.
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