bayesRatings

Sabres at Canadiens

NHL · Monday, Oct 20 · 6:30 PM CT · Bell Centre · Final BUF 2 – MTL 4

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF0112
MTL1034
Team box
BUF·MTL
32
shots
32
0 of 1
power play
0 of 1
43.6
faceoff %
56.4
15
hits
22
9
blocked shots
21
6
penalty minutes
6
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Nick SuzukiMTL021
Alex NewhookMTL021
Jake EvansMTL108
Juraj SlafkovskyMTL103
Tyson KozakBUF102
Jiri KulichBUF102
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Alex LyonBUF3128.903
Jakub DobesMTL3230.938

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
MTL +3
BUF +3
P1P2P3
largest lead: MTL 2 · BUF 0lead changes: 0

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 41%, MTL 59% · Updated Oct 20, 2025

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
MTL 3.5 – 3.0 BUF
Expected total
6.5
SabresThe matchupCanadiens
+142Our fair odds−142
3.0Expected goals3.5
−0.15Power rating−0.04
2.6Goals / game3.5
2.8Allowed / game3.0
29.0Shots / game25.3
42.0Faceoff %49.6
23.8Hits / game20.3
2−3Season record4−2
3−7Last 105−5

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · MTL chance
Our model fair41.4%58.6%
Kalshino two-sided price
Polymarket USno two-sided price
ProphetXno two-sided price
Novigno two-sided price
Full price table
TeamOur modelfairKalshi Polymarket US ProphetX Novig 
Moneyline
BUFBuffalo Sabres+14241%————
MTLMontreal Canadiens−14259%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.4our margin————
MTLMontreal Canadiens−0.4our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.5
Over6.5our total————
Under6.5our total————

These are each venue’s last prices before the start (Kalshi’s moneyline: its pre-game close). Odds are the price to buy that side now, taker fee included; the small percent is the implied chance of that same price. Highlighted is the best price in the row among venues on the same line. — means not listed (hover or tap for why). A market price is not the true chance of winning.

Margin range

Even game expected
Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: <1%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 2%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 5%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 10%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 9%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 17%Montreal Canadiens by 1 goal: 24%Montreal Canadiens by 2 goals: 11%Montreal Canadiens by 3 goals: 13%Montreal Canadiens by 4 goals: 7%Montreal Canadiens by 5 goals: 3%Montreal Canadiens by 6 goals: 1%
← BUF wins byMTL wins by →
Montreal Canadiens wins by 2 or more34%
Montreal Canadiens wins by 3 or more24%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more25%
Decided by one goal41%

Centered on the expected margin above; shape from each team's expected goals, with ties after regulation settled as one-goal games, matched to 7,066 past NHL games.

Total range

6.5 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 9%4 goals: 7%5 goals: 19%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 8%9 goals: 11%10 goals: 4%11 goals: 4%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%14 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.561%
Total over 6.550%
Total over 7.530%
Total from 6 to 730%

Centered on the expected total above; shape from each team's expected goals, with ties after regulation settled as one-goal games, matched to 7,066 past NHL games.

Starting Goalies

from the box score
BUFAlex Lyon G · last 5 starts: .929 save %, 2.43 GAAstarted
MTLJakub Dobes G · last 5 starts: .926 save %, 2.00 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·MTL
Oct 18, 2025 vs FLA
last game
Oct 18, 2025 vs NYR
1 day
days of rest
1 day
no
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
3
road after a home game
home / road
4th straight home game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 5+ games
BUF·MTL
−0.15
rating (0 = average)
−0.04
2.6
goals / game
3.5
2.8
goals allowed / game
3.0
2−3
season record
4−2
2−2
home record
2−1
0−1
away record
2−1
W2
streak
L1
3−7
last 10
5−5
29.0
shots / game
25.3
42.0
faceoff %
49.6
23.8
hits / game
20.3
15.8
blocked shots / game
14.3
4.2
takeaways / game
3.7
16.4
giveaways / game
13.2

Rating Trend

BUF · MTL · 7 days
Buffalo SabresMontreal Canadiens
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · MTL 7−3
Mar 3, 2025at MTLMTL 4 − 3 OT
Mar 1, 2025at BUFMTL 4 − 2
Dec 17, 2024at MTLMTL 6 − 1
Nov 11, 2024at BUFMTL 7 − 5
Feb 21, 2024at MTLBUF 3 − 2
Jan 4, 2024at MTLBUF 6 − 1
Dec 9, 2023at BUFMTL 3 − 2 SO
Oct 23, 2023at BUFMTL 3 − 1
Mar 27, 2023at BUFMTL 4 − 3 SO
Nov 22, 2022at MTLBUF 7 − 2

BUF · Last 10

3−7 · streak W2
Oct 18, 2025vs FLA3 − 0W
Oct 15, 2025vs OTT8 − 4W
Oct 13, 2025vs COL1 − 3L
Oct 11, 2025at BOS1 − 3L
Oct 9, 2025vs NYR0 − 4L
Apr 17, 2025vs PHI5 − 4W
Apr 15, 2025vs TOR0 − 4L
Apr 13, 2025at TB4 − 7L
Apr 12, 2025at FLA2 − 3L
Apr 10, 2025at CBJ2 − 3L

MTL · Last 10

5−5 · streak L1
Oct 18, 2025vs NYR3 − 4L
Oct 16, 2025vs NSH3 − 2W
Oct 14, 2025vs SEA5 − 4W
Oct 11, 2025at CHI3 − 2W
Oct 9, 2025at DET5 − 1W
Oct 8, 2025at TOR2 − 5L
Apr 30, 2025at WSH1 − 4L
Apr 27, 2025vs WSH2 − 5L
Apr 25, 2025vs WSH6 − 3W
Apr 23, 2025at WSH1 − 3L