bayesRatings

Sabres at Devils

NHL · Sunday, Dec 21 · 6:00 PM CT · Prudential Center · Final BUF 3 – NJ 1

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF0213
NJ1001
Team box
BUF·NJ
25
shots
27
0 of 0
power play
0 of 1
41.2
faceoff %
58.8
20
hits
16
23
blocked shots
13
2
penalty minutes
0
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Peyton KrebsBUF103
Jack HughesNJ102
Josh NorrisBUF101
Zach BensonBUF101
Ryan McLeodBUF012
Owen PowerBUF012
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF2726.963
Jake AllenNJ2422.917

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
NJ +3
BUF +3
P1P2P3
largest lead: NJ 1 · BUF 3lead changes: 9

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 44%, NJ 56% · Updated Dec 21, 2025

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
NJ 3.2 – 3.0 BUF
Expected total
6.2
SabresThe matchupDevils
+125Our fair odds−125
3.0Expected goals3.2
−0.11Power rating−0.05
3.1Goals / game2.9
3.4Allowed / game3.0
28.4Shots / game29.2
43.9Faceoff %50.3
19.1Hits / game20.1
16−18Season record20−15
7−3Last 104−6

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · NJ chance
Our model fair44.4%55.6%
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+12544%————
NJNew Jersey Devils−12556%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.3our margin————
NJNew Jersey Devils−0.3our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.2
Over6.2our total————
Under6.2our 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: 19%New Jersey Devils by 1 goal: 23%New Jersey Devils by 2 goals: 10%New Jersey Devils by 3 goals: 13%New Jersey Devils by 4 goals: 7%New Jersey Devils by 5 goals: 2%New Jersey Devils by 6 goals: <1%
← BUF wins byNJ wins by →
New Jersey Devils wins by 2 or more33%
New Jersey Devils wins by 3 or more22%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more25%
Decided by one goal42%

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

6.2 expected
1 goals: 2%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 11%4 goals: 8%5 goals: 21%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 8%9 goals: 10%10 goals: 3%11 goals: 3%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.556%
Total over 6.545%
Total over 7.526%
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
BUFUkko-Pekka Luukkonen G · last 5 starts: .888 save %, 2.81 GAAstarted
NJJake Allen G · last 5 starts: .894 save %, 3.09 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·NJ
Dec 20, 2025 vs NYI
last game
Dec 19, 2025 at UTAH
0 days
days of rest
1 day
yes
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
3
road after a home game
home / road
home after a road game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 34+ games
BUF·NJ
−0.11
rating (0 = average)
−0.05
3.1
goals / game
2.9
3.4
goals allowed / game
3.0
16−18
season record
20−15
11−7
home record
10−7
5−11
away record
10−8
W5
streak
W2
7−3
last 10
4−6
28.4
shots / game
29.2
43.9
faceoff %
50.3
19.1
hits / game
20.1
15.1
blocked shots / game
15.4
5.1
takeaways / game
4.9
15.8
giveaways / game
15.4

Rating Trend

BUF · NJ · 68 days
Buffalo SabresNew Jersey Devils
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · NJ 7−3
Nov 28, 2025at BUFNJ 5 − 0
Feb 2, 2025at BUFBUF 4 − 3
Oct 5, 2024at NJNJ 3 − 1
Oct 4, 2024at BUFNJ 4 − 1
Mar 29, 2024at BUFBUF 5 − 2
Nov 25, 2023at NJNJ 7 − 2
Oct 27, 2023at NJNJ 5 − 4
Apr 11, 2023at NJNJ 6 − 2
Mar 24, 2023at BUFBUF 5 − 4
Nov 25, 2022at BUFNJ 3 − 1

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W5
Dec 20, 2025vs NYI3 − 2W
Dec 18, 2025vs PHI5 − 3W
Dec 14, 2025at SEA3 − 1W
Dec 11, 2025at VAN3 − 2W
Dec 9, 2025at EDM4 − 3W
Dec 8, 2025at CGY4 − 7L
Dec 5, 2025at WPG1 − 4L
Dec 3, 2025at PHI2 − 5L
Dec 1, 2025vs WPG5 − 1W
Nov 29, 2025at MIN3 − 2W

NJ · Last 10

4−6 · streak W2
Dec 19, 2025at UTAH2 − 1W
Dec 17, 2025at VGK2 − 1W
Dec 14, 2025vs VAN1 − 2L
Dec 13, 2025vs ANA4 − 1W
Dec 11, 2025vs TB4 − 8L
Dec 9, 2025at OTT4 − 3W
Dec 6, 2025at BOS1 − 4L
Dec 5, 2025vs VGK0 − 3L
Dec 3, 2025vs DAL0 − 3L
Dec 1, 2025vs CBJ3 − 5L