Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions for Saturday March 21 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 03/21/2026, 01:40 AM ET

The Buffalo Sabres head west to take on the Los Angeles Kings at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, with puck drop scheduled for 4:00 PM and coverage on ESPN+. At the time of this writing, the Sabres are slight road favorites at -115 while the Kings are listed at -105, with the total set at 6.5 goals. Be sure to check out our free NHL picks for more daily expert analysis and winning selections.

Sabres Skating with Confidence on the Road

Buffalo enters this matchup with an impressive 43-20-6 overall record and a strong 21-11-3 record on the road. The Sabres have been playing excellent hockey recently, as they have recently won over San Jose, recently won over Vegas, recently won over Toronto, recently lost to Washington, and recently won over San Jose again. Their consistency on both ends of the ice has been a key factor in their success.

Offensively, Buffalo is averaging 3.45 goals per game while allowing just 2.90 goals against. They are generating 27.9 shots per game and allowing 29.4 shots. On special teams, the Sabres have converted 20.3% of their power play opportunities and have been strong on the penalty kill at 83.3%.

One standout aspect of Buffalo’s game has been their ability to create scoring opportunities in transition while also capitalizing on short-handed chances, as evidenced by their 10 short-handed goals. Their balanced attack and disciplined defensive play make them a dangerous opponent, especially away from home.

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Kings Searching for Consistency at Home

The Los Angeles Kings come into this game with a 28-24-16 overall record and a disappointing 10-15-8 record on home ice. The Kings have been inconsistent in recent games, as they have recently lost to Philadelphia, recently won over the Rangers, recently lost to New Jersey, recently won over the Islanders, and recently lost to Boston. That inconsistency has been a theme throughout their season.

From a statistical perspective, Los Angeles is averaging 2.63 goals per game while allowing 2.91 goals against. They generate 27.6 shots per game and allow 27.2 shots. Their power play has struggled at 17.3%, and their penalty kill has been an issue at just 75.5%, giving up 52 power play goals.

The Kings’ biggest weakness lies in their special teams, particularly their penalty kill. Allowing 52 power play goals and killing penalties at a 75.5% rate puts them at a disadvantage against teams like Buffalo that can take advantage of those opportunities. If that trend continues, it could be the deciding factor in this matchup.

Sabres vs Kings Pick

Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings Pick

Pick: Buffalo Sabres Moneyline (-115)

Buffalo has been the more consistent and complete team this season, especially on the road where they’ve played well. Their ability to generate offense combined with a strong penalty kill gives them the edge over a Kings team that has struggled at home and on special teams. I expect Buffalo to continue their strong form and pick up another win.

Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings Total Pick

Pick: Over 6.5

I’m going with the over in this matchup because Buffalo has been scoring at a high rate, averaging 3.45 goals per game, and they’ve been involved in several high-scoring contests recently. Los Angeles has shown defensive inconsistencies, especially on the penalty kill, which could lead to more scoring chances. This game feels like it can open up offensively.

Final Score Prediction: Buffalo Sabres 4, Los Angeles Kings 3

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Friday.