bayesRatings

Sabres at Rangers

NHL · Thursday, Jan 8 · 6:00 PM CT · Madison Square Garden · Final BUF 5 – NYR 2

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF1225
NYR0112
Team box
BUF·NYR
21
shots
32
1 of 2
power play
0 of 3
39.2
faceoff %
60.8
16
hits
32
20
blocked shots
12
6
penalty minutes
4
Top performers
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Colten EllisBUF3230.938
Jonathan QuickNYR2016.800

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

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

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 46%, NYR 54% · Updated Jan 8

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
NYR 3.1 – 2.9 BUF
Expected total
5.9
SabresThe matchupRangers
+115Our fair odds−115
2.9Expected goals3.1
−0.02Power rating−0.03
3.2Goals / game2.6
3.1Allowed / game2.7
28.5Shots / game25.7
44.9Faceoff %53.9
18.9Hits / game25.8
22−19Season record20−24
9−1Last 104−6

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · NYR chance
Our model fair46.4%53.6%
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+11546%————
NYRNew York Rangers−11554%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.2our margin————
NYRNew York Rangers−0.2our margin————
Totalwe expect 5.9
Over5.9our total————
Under5.9our 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: 21%New York Rangers by 1 goal: 23%New York Rangers by 2 goals: 10%New York Rangers by 3 goals: 12%New York Rangers by 4 goals: 6%New York Rangers by 5 goals: 2%New York Rangers by 6 goals: <1%
← BUF wins byNYR wins by →
New York Rangers wins by 2 or more31%
New York Rangers wins by 3 or more21%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more26%
Decided by one goal43%

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

5.9 expected
1 goals: 2%2 goals: 3%3 goals: 13%4 goals: 9%5 goals: 22%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 18%8 goals: 7%9 goals: 9%10 goals: 3%11 goals: 3%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 4.573%
Total over 5.551%
Total over 6.540%
Total from 5 to 633%

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
BUFColten Ellis G · last 5 starts: .884 save %, 3.53 GAAstarted
NYRJonathan Quick G · last 5 starts: .882 save %, 2.90 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·NYR
Jan 6 vs VAN
last game
Jan 5 vs UTAH
1 day
days of rest
2 days
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 41+ games
BUF·NYR
−0.02
rating (0 = average)
−0.03
3.2
goals / game
2.6
3.1
goals allowed / game
2.7
22−19
season record
20−24
13−7
home record
5−14
9−12
away record
15−10
W1
streak
L1
9−1
last 10
4−6
28.5
shots / game
25.7
44.9
faceoff %
53.9
18.9
hits / game
25.8
15.0
blocked shots / game
15.5
5.1
takeaways / game
4.4
15.7
giveaways / game
14.5

Rating Trend

BUF · NYR · 83 days
Buffalo SabresNew York Rangers
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · NYR 5−5
Oct 9, 2025at BUFNYR 4 − 0
Feb 22, 2025at BUFBUF 8 − 2
Dec 11, 2024at BUFNYR 3 − 2
Nov 7, 2024at NYRBUF 6 − 1
Dec 23, 2023at NYRNYR 4 − 3 OT
Nov 27, 2023at NYRBUF 5 − 1
Oct 12, 2023at BUFNYR 5 − 1
Apr 10, 2023at NYRBUF 3 − 2 SO
Mar 31, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 2 OT
Mar 11, 2023at BUFNYR 2 − 1 OT

BUF · Last 10

9−1 · streak W1
Jan 6vs VAN5 − 3W
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

NYR · Last 10

4−6 · streak L1
Jan 5vs UTAH2 − 3L
Jan 2at FLA5 − 1W
Dec 31, 2025at WSH3 − 6L
Dec 29, 2025at CAR2 − 3L
Dec 27, 2025at NYI0 − 2L
Dec 23, 2025at WSH7 − 3W
Dec 21, 2025at NSH1 − 2L
Dec 20, 2025vs PHI5 − 4W
Dec 18, 2025at STL2 − 1W
Dec 16, 2025vs VAN0 − 3L