Sabres vs. Canadiens prediction: Why Montreal is favored to win Thursday's NHL matchup [1/22/2026]

The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres are scheduled to meet in the NHL at Bell Centre on Thursday, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.

Based on updated simulations, Dimers' proven NHL model gives the Canadiens a slight edge with a 52% win probability over the Sabres.

This article offers a closer look at Thursday's Sabres vs. Canadiens matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.

Sabres vs. Habs prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the result of Thursday's NHL matchup between the Sabres and Canadiens 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our leading predictive model currently gives the Canadiens a 52% chance of beating the Sabres.

According to our model, the Sabres (+1.5) have a 68% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6.5-goal over/under has an equal 50-50 chance of hitting.

Sabres vs. Canadiens odds

We have researched the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Sabres	Canadiens
Puck Line	+1.5 (-235)	-1.5 (+200)
Moneyline	+104	-120
Total	o6.5 (-120)	u6.5 (+105)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Sabres vs. Canadiens picks and best bet

After matching our probabilities against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Puck Line	Canadiens -1.5	+200
Moneyline	Sabres	+104
Total	Under 6.5	+105

According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Under 6.5 total goals.

Sabres vs. Canadiens player props

Who will score a goal in Sabres vs. Canadiens?

According to our model, Tage Thompson is most likely to score an anytime goal in Sabres vs. Canadiens.

Our projections give Thompson a 43.8% chance of scoring a goal at Bell Centre, while the star is an 8.4% chance of netting the first goal the game.

Anytime goal scorer predictions

Buffalo Sabres

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Tage Thompson	43.8%
Alex Tuch	31.1%
Jason Zucker	23.5%
Zach Benson	21.6%
Rasmus Dahlin	21.1%

Montreal Canadiens

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Cole Caufield	37.1%
Nick Suzuki	29.9%
Oliver Kapanen	29.2%
Juraj Slafkovsky	28.8%
Ivan Demidov	28.7%

First goal scorer predictions

Buffalo Sabres

Player	First Goal Probability
Tage Thompson	8.4%
Alex Tuch	5.7%
Jason Zucker	4.3%
Rasmus Dahlin	3.8%
Zach Benson	3.4%

Montreal Canadiens

Player	First Goal Probability
Cole Caufield	6.8%
Nick Suzuki	5.5%
Juraj Slafkovsky	5.1%
Ivan Demidov	4.9%
Oliver Kapanen	4.9%

Sabres vs. Habs game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's action between the Canadiens and Sabres at Bell Centre is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
• Date: Thursday, January 22, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Bell Centre

Conclusion

We predict the Canadiens, with a 52% win probability, will likely beat the Sabres on Thursday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Sabres vs. Canadiens insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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