The Buffalo Sabres are going to have to pull off a magical performance to win the deciding game seven tonight. They have played Carolina very hard and well this series, but tonight might be too much for them. Midway through this series Carolina started playing to form and Buffalo has had a tough time of it ever since. In game five they lost a heartbreaker in OT. In game six, they almost blew the game by being too conservative once they scored. Luckily, a magical puck bouncing up and over the goalie found it’s way across the line for a victory.

Carolina figures to be extremely tough on their home ice. Buffalo will be without defensemen Kalinin and Tallinder. Connolly is also out. They definitely have their work cut out for them. Most sports books have the Hurricanes as a -157 favorite. Most online sportsbooks have a goal line up for tonight’s game. You can get the Sabres +1.5 goals at -220 or the Hurricanes -1.5 goals +180. Also they have the under/over set at 6 goals. The over is +120 and the under is -140. The trend this series is the two teams either combine for 7 goals or they score less than 6.

Tonight’s game seven is what NHL hockey playoffs is all about. I look back to game 5 and see a Buffalo team that could have won had they not committed some poor penalties. They got out ahead of Carolina, but did not hold the lead. In game 6, they played much better. For the plus money, I am taking the Sabres tonight for the upset and the Eastern representative for the Stanley Cup. They can be had from +140 to +154 depending on where you go.