bayesRatings

Sabres at Islanders

NHL · Saturday, Jan 24 · 12:00 PM CT · UBS Arena · Final BUF 5 – NYI 0

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF0235
NYI0000
Team box
BUF·NYI
21
shots
26
0 of 2
power play
0 of 3
26.0
faceoff %
74.0
16
hits
24
11
blocked shots
13
8
penalty minutes
6
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Jason ZuckerBUF203
Mattias SamuelssonBUF021
Ryan McLeodBUF021
Tage ThompsonBUF103
Rasmus DahlinBUF103
Alex TuchBUF101
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Alex LyonBUF26261.000
David RittichNYI2016.800

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
NYI +5
BUF +5
P1P2P3
largest lead: NYI 0 · BUF 5lead changes: 0

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 46%, NYI 54% · Updated Jan 24

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
NYI 3.0 – 3.0 BUF
Expected total
6.0
SabresThe matchupIslanders
+115Our fair odds−115
3.0Expected goals3.0
+0.02Power rating−0.01
3.3Goals / game2.9
3.1Allowed / game2.8
27.6Shots / game27.8
44.8Faceoff %51.1
19.2Hits / game18.2
28−22Season record27−23
7−3Last 105−5

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · NYI chance
Our model fair46.5%53.5%
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%————
NYINew York Islanders−11554%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.1our margin————
NYINew York Islanders−0.1our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.0
Over6.0our total————
Under6.0our 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: 10%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 19%New York Islanders by 1 goal: 24%New York Islanders by 2 goals: 10%New York Islanders by 3 goals: 11%New York Islanders by 4 goals: 6%New York Islanders by 5 goals: 2%New York Islanders by 6 goals: <1%
← BUF wins byNYI wins by →
New York Islanders wins by 2 or more29%
New York Islanders wins by 3 or more19%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more28%
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

6.0 expected
1 goals: 2%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 12%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 5.553%
Total over 6.542%
Total over 7.523%
Total from 6 to 729%

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: .914 save %, 2.36 GAAstarted
NYIDavid Rittich G · last 5 starts: .850 save %, 3.09 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·NYI
Jan 22 at MTL
last game
Jan 21 at SEA
1 day
days of rest
2 days
no
back-to-back
no
4
games in last 7 days
3
4th straight road game
home / road
home after a road game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 50+ games
BUF·NYI
+0.02
rating (0 = average)
−0.01
3.3
goals / game
2.9
3.1
goals allowed / game
2.8
28−22
season record
27−23
16−9
home record
14−10
12−13
away record
13−13
W2
streak
L1
7−3
last 10
5−5
27.6
shots / game
27.8
44.8
faceoff %
51.1
19.2
hits / game
18.2
15.1
blocked shots / game
15.0
5.1
takeaways / game
4.5
15.8
giveaways / game
14.8

Rating Trend

BUF · NYI · 99 days
Buffalo SabresNew York Islanders
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · NYI 4−6
Dec 20, 2025at BUFBUF 3 − 2 SO
Dec 23, 2024at NYIBUF 7 − 1
Nov 30, 2024at NYINYI 3 − 0
Nov 1, 2024at BUFNYI 4 − 3
Mar 14, 2024at BUFBUF 4 − 0
Oct 21, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 1
Oct 14, 2023at NYINYI 3 − 2
Mar 25, 2023at NYIBUF 2 − 0
Mar 7, 2023at NYINYI 3 − 2
Jan 19, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 2 OT

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W2
Jan 22at MTL4 − 2W
Jan 20at NSH5 − 3W
Jan 19at CAR1 − 2L
Jan 17vs MIN4 − 5L
Jan 15vs MTL5 − 3W
Jan 14vs PHI5 − 2W
Jan 12vs FLA3 − 4L
Jan 10vs ANA5 − 3W
Jan 8at NYR5 − 2W
Jan 6vs VAN5 − 3W

NYI · Last 10

5−5 · streak L1
Jan 21at SEA1 − 4L
Jan 19at VAN4 − 3W
Jan 17at CGY2 − 4L
Jan 15at EDM1 − 0W
Jan 13at WPG4 − 5L
Jan 10at MIN4 − 3W
Jan 8at NSH1 − 2L
Jan 6vs NJ9 − 0W
Jan 3vs TOR4 − 3W
Jan 1vs UTAH2 − 7L