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Golden Knights at Sabres

NHL · Tuesday, Mar 3 · 6:00 PM CT · KeyBank Center · Final VGK 2 – BUF 3

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
VGK0202
BUF1203
Team box
VGK·BUF
29
shots
28
0 of 1
power play
0 of 1
44.3
faceoff %
55.7
28
hits
15
10
blocked shots
10
2
penalty minutes
2
Top performers
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Akira SchmidVGK2825.893
Alex LyonBUF2927.931

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

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

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was VGK 44%, BUF 56% · Updated Mar 3

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
BUF 3.5 – 3.2 VGK
Expected total
6.7
Golden KnightsThe matchupSabres
+129Our fair odds−129
3.2Expected goals3.5
+0.08Power rating+0.16
3.3Goals / game3.4
3.2Allowed / game3.0
28.6Shots / game28.0
50.7Faceoff %44.6
20.9Hits / game18.8
28−32Season record35−25
3−7Last 107−3

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
VGK chance · BUF chance
Our model fair43.6%56.4%
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
VGKVegas Golden Knights+12944%————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−12956%————
Spreadabout even
VGKVegas Golden Knights+0.3our margin————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−0.3our 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

Even game expected
Vegas Golden Knights by 6 goals: <1%Vegas Golden Knights by 5 goals: 2%Vegas Golden Knights by 4 goals: 5%Vegas Golden Knights by 3 goals: 10%Vegas Golden Knights by 2 goals: 9%Vegas Golden Knights by 1 goal: 18%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 23%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 10%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 13%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 7%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 3%Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: 1%
← VGK wins byBUF wins by →
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more33%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 3 or more23%
Vegas Golden Knights wins by 2 or more26%
Decided by one goal41%

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: 19%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 20%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 12%10 goals: 4%11 goals: 5%12 goals: 1%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
VGKAkira Schmid G · last 5 starts: .885 save %, 3.02 GAAstarted
BUFAlex Lyon G · last 5 starts: .929 save %, 2.65 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
VGK·BUF
Mar 1 at PIT
last game
Feb 28 at TB
1 day
days of rest
2 days
no
back-to-back
no
3
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 60+ games
VGK·BUF
+0.08
rating (0 = average)
+0.16
3.3
goals / game
3.4
3.2
goals allowed / game
3.0
28−32
season record
35−25
14−15
home record
17−11
14−17
away record
18−14
L2
streak
W3
3−7
last 10
7−3
28.6
shots / game
28.0
50.7
faceoff %
44.6
20.9
hits / game
18.8
15.1
blocked shots / game
14.8
4.5
takeaways / game
5.1
16.5
giveaways / game
16.1

Rating Trend

VGK · BUF · 118 days
Vegas Golden KnightsBuffalo Sabres
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 8 meetings · BUF 5−3
Mar 15, 2025at BUFBUF 4 − 3 SO
Jan 4, 2025at VGKVGK 3 − 1
Mar 2, 2024at BUFBUF 7 − 2
Dec 15, 2023at VGKBUF 5 − 2
Dec 19, 2022at VGKBUF 3 − 2
Nov 10, 2022at BUFVGK 7 − 4
Mar 10, 2022at BUFBUF 3 − 1
Feb 1, 2022at VGKVGK 5 − 2

VGK · Last 10

3−7 · streak L2
Mar 1at PIT0 − 5L
Feb 27at WSH2 − 3L
Feb 25at LA6 − 4W
Feb 5vs LA4 − 1W
Feb 4vs VAN5 − 2W
Feb 1at ANA3 − 4L
Jan 31vs SEA2 − 3L
Jan 29vs DAL4 − 5L
Jan 27at MTL2 − 3L
Jan 25at OTT1 − 7L

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W3
Feb 28at TB6 − 2W
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