bayesRatings

Sabres at Lightning

NHL · Tuesday, Feb 3 · 6:30 PM CT · Benchmark International Arena · Final BUF 3 – TB 4

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123OTT
BUF10203
TB10214
Team box
BUF·TB
26
shots
35
1 of 3
power play
1 of 2
49.2
faceoff %
50.8
13
hits
26
10
blocked shots
10
4
penalty minutes
6
Top performers
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Colten EllisBUF3531.886
Andrei VasilevskiyTB2623.885

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
TB +3
BUF +3
P1P2P3OT
largest lead: TB 1 · BUF 1lead changes: 2

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 38%, TB 62% · Updated Feb 3

Expected margin
TB by 0.9
Expected score
TB 3.8 – 2.8 BUF
Expected total
6.6
SabresThe matchupLightning
+163Our fair odds−163
2.8Expected goals3.8
+0.13Power rating+0.46
3.5Goals / game3.6
3.0Allowed / game2.6
27.7Shots / game28.0
44.3Faceoff %46.9
19.0Hits / game19.0
32−23Season record35−18
7−3Last 108−2

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · TB chance
Our model fair38.0%62.0%
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+16338%————
TBTampa Bay Lightning−16362%————
SpreadTB by 0.9
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.9our margin————
TBTampa Bay Lightning−0.9our 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

Tampa Bay Lightning by 0.9 expected
Buffalo Sabres by 7 goals: <1%Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: <1%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 1%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 3%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 7%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 7%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 20%Tampa Bay Lightning by 1 goal: 19%Tampa Bay Lightning by 2 goals: 12%Tampa Bay Lightning by 3 goals: 16%Tampa Bay Lightning by 4 goals: 10%Tampa Bay Lightning by 5 goals: 4%Tampa Bay Lightning by 6 goals: 1%Tampa Bay Lightning by 7 goals: <1%
← BUF wins byTB wins by →
Tampa Bay Lightning wins by 2 or more44%
Tampa Bay Lightning wins by 3 or more32%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more18%
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

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 7,066 past NHL games.

Starting Goalies

from the box score
BUFColten Ellis G · last 5 starts: .892 save %, 3.16 GAAstarted
TBAndrei Vasilevskiy G · last 5 starts: .938 save %, 1.55 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·TB
Feb 2 at FLA
last game
Feb 1 vs BOS
0 days
days of rest
1 day
yes
back-to-back
no
4
games in last 7 days
2
2nd straight road game
home / road
4th straight home game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 53+ games
BUF·TB
+0.13
rating (0 = average)
+0.46
3.5
goals / game
3.6
3.0
goals allowed / game
2.6
32−23
season record
35−18
17−10
home record
16−9
15−13
away record
19−9
W1
streak
W3
7−3
last 10
8−2
27.7
shots / game
28.0
44.3
faceoff %
46.9
19.0
hits / game
19.0
15.0
blocked shots / game
12.7
5.1
takeaways / game
4.1
16.0
giveaways / game
14.8

Rating Trend

BUF · TB · 109 days
Buffalo SabresTampa Bay Lightning
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · TB 4−6
Apr 13, 2025at TBTB 7 − 4
Apr 5, 2025at BUFBUF 3 − 2 SO
Mar 6, 2025at TBTB 6 − 5
Apr 15, 2024at TBBUF 4 − 2
Feb 29, 2024at TBBUF 3 − 2 OT
Jan 20, 2024at BUFTB 3 − 1
Oct 17, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 2 OT
Mar 4, 2023at BUFBUF 5 − 3
Feb 23, 2023at TBBUF 6 − 5 OT
Nov 28, 2022at BUFTB 6 − 5 OT

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W1
Feb 2at FLA5 − 3W
Jan 31vs MTL2 − 4L
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

TB · Last 10

8−2 · streak W3
Feb 1vs BOS6 − 5W
Jan 29vs WPG4 − 1W
Jan 26vs UTAH2 − 0W
Jan 24at CBJ5 − 8L
Jan 23at CHI2 − 1W
Jan 20vs SJ4 − 1W
Jan 18at DAL4 − 1W
Jan 16at STL2 − 3L
Jan 13at PIT2 − 1W
Jan 12at PHI5 − 1W