bayesRatings

Canadiens at Sabres

NHL · Saturday, Jan 31 · 6:00 PM CT · KeyBank Center · Final MTL 4 – BUF 2

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
MTL1034
BUF0202
Team box
MTL·BUF
31
shots
38
1 of 3
power play
1 of 4
70.2
faceoff %
29.8
29
hits
24
20
blocked shots
7
8
penalty minutes
6
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Cole CaufieldMTL215
Noah DobsonMTL024
Nick SuzukiMTL022
Juraj SlafkovskyMTL107
Owen PowerBUF106
Oliver KapanenMTL102
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Jakub DobesMTL3836.947
Alex LyonBUF3027.900

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

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

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was MTL 44%, BUF 56% · Updated Jan 31

Expected margin
BUF by 0.5
Expected score
BUF 3.8 – 3.3 MTL
Expected total
7.1
CanadiensThe matchupSabres
+128Our fair odds−128
3.3Expected goals3.8
−0.01Power rating+0.08
3.5Goals / game3.5
3.3Allowed / game3.0
26.3Shots / game27.6
50.2Faceoff %44.5
21.8Hits / game18.9
30−24Season record31−22
5−5Last 107−3

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
MTL chance · BUF chance
Our model fair43.9%56.1%
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
MTLMontreal Canadiens+12844%————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−12856%————
SpreadBUF by 0.5
MTLMontreal Canadiens+0.5our margin————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−0.5our margin————
Totalwe expect 7.1
Over7.1our total————
Under7.1our 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 0.5 expected
Montreal Canadiens by 7 goals: <1%Montreal Canadiens by 6 goals: <1%Montreal Canadiens by 5 goals: 2%Montreal Canadiens by 4 goals: 4%Montreal Canadiens by 3 goals: 9%Montreal Canadiens by 2 goals: 8%Montreal Canadiens by 1 goal: 20%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 19%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 11%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 14%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 8%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 3%Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: 1%Buffalo Sabres by 7 goals: <1%
← MTL wins byBUF wins by →
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more38%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 3 or more27%
Montreal Canadiens wins by 2 or more23%
Decided by one goal39%

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

7.1 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 1%3 goals: 7%4 goals: 6%5 goals: 16%6 goals: 10%7 goals: 20%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 13%10 goals: 5%11 goals: 6%12 goals: 2%13 goals: 2%14 goals: 1%15 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 6.559%
Total over 7.539%
Total over 8.530%
Total from 7 to 829%

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
MTLJakub Dobes G · last 5 starts: .878 save %, 3.16 GAAstarted
BUFAlex Lyon G · last 5 starts: .944 save %, 1.60 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
MTL·BUF
Jan 29 vs COL
last game
Jan 29 vs LA
1 day
days of rest
1 day
no
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
3
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 53+ games
MTL·BUF
−0.01
rating (0 = average)
+0.08
3.5
goals / game
3.5
3.3
goals allowed / game
3.0
30−24
season record
31−22
16−12
home record
17−9
14−12
away record
14−13
W2
streak
W5
5−5
last 10
7−3
26.3
shots / game
27.6
50.2
faceoff %
44.5
21.8
hits / game
18.9
16.6
blocked shots / game
15.1
4.5
takeaways / game
5.2
13.5
giveaways / game
15.9

Rating Trend

MTL · BUF · 106 days
Montreal CanadiensBuffalo Sabres
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · BUF 4−6
Jan 22at MTLBUF 4 − 2
Jan 15at BUFBUF 5 − 3
Oct 20, 2025at MTLMTL 4 − 2
Mar 3, 2025at MTLMTL 4 − 3 OT
Mar 1, 2025at BUFMTL 4 − 2
Dec 17, 2024at MTLMTL 6 − 1
Nov 11, 2024at BUFMTL 7 − 5
Feb 21, 2024at MTLBUF 3 − 2
Jan 4, 2024at MTLBUF 6 − 1
Dec 9, 2023at BUFMTL 3 − 2 SO

MTL · Last 10

5−5 · streak W2
Jan 29vs COL7 − 3W
Jan 27vs VGK3 − 2W
Jan 24at BOS3 − 4L
Jan 22vs BUF2 − 4L
Jan 20vs MIN4 − 3W
Jan 17at OTT6 − 5W
Jan 15at BUF3 − 5L
Jan 13at WSH2 − 3L
Jan 12vs VAN6 − 3W
Jan 10vs DET0 − 4L

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W5
Jan 29vs LA4 − 1W
Jan 27at TOR7 − 4W
Jan 24at NYI5 − 0W
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