bayesRatings

Sabres at Blues

NHL · Monday, Dec 29 · 7:00 PM CT · Enterprise Center · Final BUF 4 – STL 2

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF1124
STL2002
Team box
BUF·STL
34
shots
18
0 of 3
power play
0 of 1
55.6
faceoff %
44.4
18
hits
27
11
blocked shots
18
2
penalty minutes
6
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Zach BensonBUF105
Jimmy SnuggerudSTL103
Alex TuchBUF102
Peyton KrebsBUF102
Brayden SchennSTL102
Noah OstlundBUF101
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Alex LyonBUF1816.889
Joel HoferSTL3330.909

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
STL +3
BUF +3
P1P2P3
largest lead: STL 1 · BUF 2lead changes: 2

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 47%, STL 53% · Updated Dec 29, 2025

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
STL 3.2 – 3.1 BUF
Expected total
6.3
SabresThe matchupBlues
+114Our fair odds−114
3.1Expected goals3.2
−0.07Power rating−0.11
3.1Goals / game2.5
3.2Allowed / game3.4
28.4Shots / game25.3
43.8Faceoff %50.9
18.9Hits / game23.2
19−18Season record15−24
8−2Last 105−5

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · STL chance
Our model fair46.7%53.3%
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+11447%————
STLSt. Louis Blues−11453%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.1our margin————
STLSt. Louis Blues−0.1our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.3
Over6.3our total————
Under6.3our 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: 11%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 9%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 19%St. Louis Blues by 1 goal: 23%St. Louis Blues by 2 goals: 10%St. Louis Blues by 3 goals: 11%St. Louis Blues by 4 goals: 6%St. Louis Blues by 5 goals: 2%St. Louis Blues by 6 goals: <1%
← BUF wins bySTL wins by →
St. Louis Blues wins by 2 or more30%
St. Louis Blues wins by 3 or more20%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more28%
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

6.3 expected
1 goals: 2%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 10%4 goals: 8%5 goals: 20%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 8%9 goals: 10%10 goals: 3%11 goals: 4%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.558%
Total over 6.547%
Total over 7.527%
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: .930 save %, 1.97 GAAstarted
STLJoel Hofer G · last 5 starts: .928 save %, 2.00 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·STL
Dec 27, 2025 vs BOS
last game
Dec 27, 2025 vs NSH
1 day
days of rest
1 day
no
back-to-back
no
2
games in last 7 days
2
road after a home game
home / road
2nd straight home game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 37+ games
BUF·STL
−0.07
rating (0 = average)
−0.11
3.1
goals / game
2.5
3.2
goals allowed / game
3.4
19−18
season record
15−24
12−7
home record
8−13
7−11
away record
7−11
W8
streak
W1
8−2
last 10
5−5
28.4
shots / game
25.3
43.8
faceoff %
50.9
18.9
hits / game
23.2
15.3
blocked shots / game
14.7
5.2
takeaways / game
4.2
15.7
giveaways / game
13.9

Rating Trend

BUF · STL · 73 days
Buffalo SabresSt. Louis Blues
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 9 meetings · STL 5−4
Nov 6, 2025at BUFSTL 3 − 0
Dec 29, 2024at STLBUF 4 − 2
Nov 14, 2024at BUFBUF 4 − 3 OT
Feb 10, 2024at BUFSTL 3 − 1
Nov 30, 2023at STLSTL 6 − 4
Jan 24, 2023at STLBUF 5 − 3
Nov 23, 2022at BUFBUF 6 − 2
Apr 14, 2022at BUFSTL 6 − 2
Feb 25, 2022at STLSTL 5 − 3

BUF · Last 10

8−2 · streak W8
Dec 27, 2025vs BOS4 − 1W
Dec 23, 2025at OTT3 − 2W
Dec 21, 2025at NJ3 − 1W
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

STL · Last 10

5−5 · streak W1
Dec 27, 2025vs NSH3 − 2W
Dec 22, 2025at TB1 − 4L
Dec 20, 2025at FLA6 − 2W
Dec 18, 2025vs NYR1 − 2L
Dec 17, 2025vs WPG1 − 0W
Dec 15, 2025vs NSH2 − 5L
Dec 12, 2025vs CHI3 − 2W
Dec 11, 2025at NSH2 − 7L
Dec 9, 2025vs BOS2 − 5L
Dec 7, 2025at MTL4 − 3W