bayesRatings

Sabres at Lightning

NHL · Saturday, Feb 28 · 6:00 PM CT · Benchmark International Arena · Final BUF 6 – TB 2

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF4116
TB0112
Team box
BUF·TB
35
shots
38
1 of 5
power play
0 of 3
48.4
faceoff %
51.6
16
hits
28
14
blocked shots
5
12
penalty minutes
28
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Rasmus DahlinBUF122
Josh NorrisBUF202
Zach MetsaBUF113
Victor HedmanTB112
Tage ThompsonBUF106
Alex TuchBUF105
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF3836.947
Jonas JohanssonTB2120.952
Andrei VasilevskiyTB149.643

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

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

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 36%, TB 64% · Updated Feb 28

Expected margin
TB by 1.0
Expected score
TB 3.9 – 2.9 BUF
Expected total
6.7
SabresThe matchupLightning
+177Our fair odds−177
2.9Expected goals3.9
+0.11Power rating+0.52
3.4Goals / game3.6
3.0Allowed / game2.6
27.8Shots / game28.3
44.5Faceoff %47.0
18.8Hits / game19.2
34−25Season record38−19
7−3Last 108−2

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · TB chance
Our model fair36.1%63.9%
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+17736%————
TBTampa Bay Lightning−17764%————
SpreadTB by 1.0
BUFBuffalo Sabres+1our margin————
TBTampa Bay Lightning−1our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.7
Over6.7our total————
Under6.7our 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 1.0 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: 6%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 6%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 18%Tampa Bay Lightning by 1 goal: 20%Tampa Bay Lightning by 2 goals: 12%Tampa Bay Lightning by 3 goals: 17%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 more45%
Tampa Bay Lightning wins by 3 or more33%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more17%
Decided by one goal38%

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

6.7 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 8%4 goals: 7%5 goals: 18%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 12%10 goals: 4%11 goals: 5%12 goals: 2%13 goals: 1%14 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.564%
Total over 6.553%
Total over 7.533%
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
BUFUkko-Pekka Luukkonen G · last 5 starts: .919 save %, 2.40 GAAstarted
TBJonas Johansson G · last 5 starts: .862 save %, 3.81 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·TB
Feb 27 at FLA
last game
Feb 26 at CAR
0 days
days of rest
1 day
yes
back-to-back
no
2
games in last 7 days
2
3rd 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 57+ games
BUF·TB
+0.11
rating (0 = average)
+0.52
3.4
goals / game
3.6
3.0
goals allowed / game
2.6
34−25
season record
38−19
17−11
home record
19−9
17−14
away record
19−10
W2
streak
L1
7−3
last 10
8−2
27.8
shots / game
28.3
44.5
faceoff %
47.0
18.8
hits / game
19.2
14.8
blocked shots / game
12.8
5.1
takeaways / game
4.2
16.1
giveaways / game
14.9

Rating Trend

BUF · TB · 115 days
Buffalo SabresTampa Bay Lightning
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · TB 4−6
Feb 3at TBTB 4 − 3 OT
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

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W2
Feb 27at FLA3 − 2W
Feb 25at NJ2 − 1W
Feb 5vs PIT2 − 5L
Feb 3at TB3 − 4L
Feb 2at FLA5 − 3W
Jan 31vs MTL2 − 4L
Jan 29vs LA4 − 1W
Jan 27at TOR7 − 4W
Jan 24at NYI5 − 0W
Jan 22at MTL4 − 2W

TB · Last 10

8−2 · streak L1
Feb 26at CAR4 − 5L
Feb 25vs TOR4 − 2W
Feb 5vs FLA6 − 1W
Feb 3vs BUF4 − 3W
Feb 1vs BOS6 − 5W
Jan 29vs WPG4 − 1W
Jan 26vs UTAH2 − 0W
Jan 24at CBJ5 − 8L
Jan 23at CHI2 − 1W
Jan 20vs SJ4 − 1W