bayesRatings

Sabres at Penguins

NHL · Thursday, Mar 5 · 6:00 PM CT · PPG Paints Arena · Final BUF 5 – PIT 1

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
BUF1315
PIT1001
Team box
BUF·PIT
26
shots
28
1 of 6
power play
0 of 5
59.6
faceoff %
40.4
20
hits
18
11
blocked shots
11
12
penalty minutes
25
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Josh NorrisBUF112
Owen PowerBUF111
Bryan RustPIT105
Alex TuchBUF103
Mattias SamuelssonBUF101
Ryan McLeodBUF101
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF2827.964
Arturs SilovsPIT2521.840

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
PIT +4
BUF +4
P1P2P3
largest lead: PIT 0 · BUF 4lead changes: 0

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was BUF 48%, PIT 52% · Updated Mar 5

Expected margin
Even
Expected score
PIT 3.4 – 3.4 BUF
Expected total
6.8
SabresThe matchupPenguins
+110Our fair odds−110
3.4Expected goals3.4
+0.16Power rating+0.09
3.4Goals / game3.4
3.0Allowed / game2.9
28.0Shots / game29.2
44.8Faceoff %49.0
18.7Hits / game17.6
36−25Season record31−29
7−3Last 106−4

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
BUF chance · PIT chance
Our model fair47.6%52.4%
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
BUFBuffalo Sabres+11048%————
PITPittsburgh Penguins−11052%————
Spreadabout even
BUFBuffalo Sabres+0.1our margin————
PITPittsburgh Penguins−0.1our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.8
Over6.8our total————
Under6.8our 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: 6%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 11%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 9%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 19%Pittsburgh Penguins by 1 goal: 22%Pittsburgh Penguins by 2 goals: 10%Pittsburgh Penguins by 3 goals: 12%Pittsburgh Penguins by 4 goals: 6%Pittsburgh Penguins by 5 goals: 2%Pittsburgh Penguins by 6 goals: <1%
← BUF wins byPIT wins by →
Pittsburgh Penguins wins by 2 or more31%
Pittsburgh Penguins wins by 3 or more21%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more29%
Decided by one goal40%

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

6.8 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 1%3 goals: 8%4 goals: 7%5 goals: 18%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 20%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 12%10 goals: 5%11 goals: 5%12 goals: 2%13 goals: 1%14 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.565%
Total over 6.554%
Total over 7.535%
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: .927 save %, 2.41 GAAstarted
PITArturs Silovs G · last 5 starts: .938 save %, 1.62 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
BUF·PIT
Mar 3 vs VGK
last game
Mar 3 at BOS
1 day
days of rest
1 day
no
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
4
road after a home 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
BUF·PIT
+0.16
rating (0 = average)
+0.09
3.4
goals / game
3.4
3.0
goals allowed / game
2.9
36−25
season record
31−29
18−11
home record
15−15
18−14
away record
16−14
W4
streak
L1
7−3
last 10
6−4
28.0
shots / game
29.2
44.8
faceoff %
49.0
18.7
hits / game
17.6
14.7
blocked shots / game
15.1
5.1
takeaways / game
5.0
16.0
giveaways / game
16.2

Rating Trend

BUF · PIT · 120 days
Buffalo SabresPittsburgh Penguins
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · PIT 7−3
Feb 5at BUFPIT 5 − 2
Nov 26, 2025at PITPIT 4 − 2
Mar 27, 2025at BUFBUF 7 − 3
Jan 17, 2025at BUFPIT 5 − 2
Oct 16, 2024at PITPIT 6 − 5 OT
Jan 6, 2024at PITBUF 3 − 1
Nov 24, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 2
Nov 11, 2023at PITPIT 4 − 0
Dec 10, 2022at PITPIT 3 − 1
Dec 9, 2022at BUFPIT 4 − 3 OT

BUF · Last 10

7−3 · streak W4
Mar 3vs VGK3 − 2W
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

PIT · Last 10

6−4 · streak L1
Mar 3at BOS1 − 2L
Mar 1vs VGK5 − 0W
Feb 28at NYR2 − 3L
Feb 26vs NJ4 − 1W
Feb 5at BUF5 − 2W
Feb 3at NYI4 − 5L
Feb 2vs OTT2 − 3L
Jan 31vs NYR6 − 5W
Jan 29vs CHI6 − 2W
Jan 25at VAN3 − 2W