The New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres square off at KeyBank Center on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

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Here is our prediction for who will capture the victory in Thursday's matchup.

Our computer model for this encounter expects a final score of Sabres 4, Rangers 3.

The Rangers were 39-36-7 overall and 4-7-11 in overtime matchups last season.
In the 30 games New York played that were decided by one goal, it had a 13-10-7 record (good for 33 points).
In the 12 games last season the Rangers scored only one goal, they lost every time.
New York scored exactly two goals in 15 games last season (5-8-2 record, 12 points).
The Rangers scored more than two goals in 50 games (33-12-5, 71 points).
In the 25 games when New York recorded a lone power-play goal, it had an 11-10-4 record (26 points).
In the 34 games when it outshot its opponent, New York was 17-15-2 (36 points).
The Rangers were outshot by their opponent 43 times, and went 19-19-5 (43 points).

The Sabres posted a record of 7-7-14 in overtime games last season as part of an overall mark of 36-39-7.
In the 25 games Buffalo played that were decided by one goal, it picked up 29 points.
Last season the Sabres registered just one goal in nine games, and they picked up two points (1-8-0).
Buffalo picked up six points (2-15-2 record) last season when scoring exactly two goals .
The Sabres picked up 71 points in their 50 games when they scored three or more goals.
Last season Buffalo recorded a lone power-play goal in 31 games and picked up 25 points, with a record of 12-18-1.
When outshooting its opponent last season, Buffalo was 15-15-2 (32 points).
The Sabres' opponents had more shots in 49 games last season. The Sabres finished 21-23-5 in those games (47 points).

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