bayesRatings

Canucks at Sabres

NHL · Tuesday, Jan 6 · 6:00 PM CT · KeyBank Center · Final VAN 3 – BUF 5

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
VAN0033
BUF2125
Team box
VAN·BUF
37
shots
20
1 of 4
power play
0 of 1
46.4
faceoff %
53.6
17
hits
16
8
blocked shots
14
2
penalty minutes
8
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Alex TuchBUF113
Brock BoeserVAN023
Bowen ByramBUF022
Jake DeBruskVAN104
Liam OhgrenVAN104
Elias PetterssonVAN103
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Thatcher DemkoVAN1915.789
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF3734.919

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
BUF +4
VAN +4
P1P2P3
largest lead: BUF 4 · VAN 0lead changes: 0

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was VAN 42%, BUF 58% · Updated Jan 6

Expected margin
BUF by 0.6
Expected score
BUF 3.6 – 3.0 VAN
Expected total
6.6
CanucksThe matchupSabres
+137Our fair odds−137
3.0Expected goals3.6
−0.19Power rating−0.02
2.9Goals / game3.1
3.5Allowed / game3.1
26.7Shots / game28.7
48.6Faceoff %44.7
22.1Hits / game18.9
16−25Season record21−19
5−5Last 109−1

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
VAN chance · BUF chance
Our model fair42.2%57.8%
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
VANVancouver Canucks+13742%————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−13758%————
SpreadBUF by 0.6
VANVancouver Canucks+0.6our margin————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−0.6our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.6
Over6.6our total————
Under6.6our 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

Buffalo Sabres by 0.6 expected
Vancouver Canucks by 7 goals: <1%Vancouver Canucks by 6 goals: <1%Vancouver Canucks by 5 goals: 1%Vancouver Canucks by 4 goals: 4%Vancouver Canucks by 3 goals: 8%Vancouver Canucks by 2 goals: 8%Vancouver Canucks by 1 goal: 21%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 20%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 11%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 15%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 8%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 3%Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: 1%Buffalo Sabres by 7 goals: <1%
← VAN wins byBUF wins by →
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more39%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 3 or more28%
Vancouver Canucks wins by 2 or more21%
Decided by one goal40%

Centered on the expected margin above; shape from each team's expected goals, with ties after regulation settled as one-goal games, matched to 7,072 past NHL games.

Total range

6.6 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 9%4 goals: 7%5 goals: 19%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 11%10 goals: 4%11 goals: 4%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%14 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.562%
Total over 6.551%
Total over 7.532%
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 7,072 past NHL games.

Starting Goalies

from the box score
VANThatcher Demko G · last 5 starts: .898 save %, 3.37 GAAstarted
BUFUkko-Pekka Luukkonen G · last 5 starts: .911 save %, 2.58 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
VAN·BUF
Jan 3 vs BOS
last game
Jan 3 at CBJ
2 days
days of rest
2 days
no
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
2
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 40+ games
VAN·BUF
−0.19
rating (0 = average)
−0.02
2.9
goals / game
3.1
3.5
goals allowed / game
3.1
16−25
season record
21−19
4−15
home record
12−7
12−10
away record
9−12
L3
streak
L1
5−5
last 10
9−1
26.7
shots / game
28.7
48.6
faceoff %
44.7
22.1
hits / game
18.9
14.3
blocked shots / game
15.0
4.2
takeaways / game
5.1
15.0
giveaways / game
15.7

Rating Trend

VAN · BUF · 81 days
Vancouver CanucksBuffalo Sabres
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 9 meetings · BUF 5−4
Dec 11, 2025at VANBUF 3 − 2
Jan 21, 2025at VANBUF 3 − 2
Nov 29, 2024at BUFVAN 4 − 3 OT
Mar 19, 2024at VANVAN 3 − 2
Jan 13, 2024at BUFVAN 1 − 0
Nov 15, 2022at BUFVAN 5 − 4
Oct 22, 2022at VANBUF 5 − 1
Mar 20, 2022at VANBUF 3 − 2 OT
Oct 19, 2021at BUFBUF 5 − 2

VAN · Last 10

5−5 · streak L3
Jan 3vs BOS2 − 3L
Jan 2vs SEA3 − 4L
Dec 30, 2025vs PHI3 − 6L
Dec 29, 2025at SEA3 − 2W
Dec 27, 2025vs SJ3 − 6L
Dec 22, 2025at PHI2 − 5L
Dec 20, 2025at BOS5 − 4W
Dec 19, 2025at NYI4 − 1W
Dec 16, 2025at NYR3 − 0W
Dec 14, 2025at NJ2 − 1W

BUF · Last 10

9−1 · streak L1
Jan 3at CBJ1 − 5L
Dec 31, 2025at DAL4 − 1W
Dec 29, 2025at STL4 − 2W
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