bayesRatings

Islanders at Sabres

NHL · Tuesday, Mar 31 · 6:00 PM CT · KeyBank Center · Final NYI 3 – BUF 4

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
NYI0123
BUF1034
Team box
NYI·BUF
28
shots
33
1 of 3
power play
2 of 4
54.2
faceoff %
45.8
26
hits
25
10
blocked shots
15
15
penalty minutes
13
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Bo HorvatNYI033
Jack QuinnBUF117
Tage ThompsonBUF113
Brayden SchennNYI111
Josh NorrisBUF021
Bowen ByramBUF102
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Ilya SorokinNYI3229.906
Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF2825.893

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
BUF +3
NYI +3
P1P2P3
largest lead: BUF 2 · NYI 0lead changes: 0

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was NYI 40%, BUF 60% · Updated Mar 31

Expected margin
BUF by 0.7
Expected score
BUF 3.5 – 2.8 NYI
Expected total
6.2
IslandersThe matchupSabres
+147Our fair odds−147
2.8Expected goals3.5
−0.01Power rating+0.25
2.9Goals / game3.5
2.9Allowed / game2.9
28.2Shots / game28.1
52.7Faceoff %45.6
19.3Hits / game19.1
42−33Season record45−29
5−5Last 106−4

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
NYI chance · BUF chance
Our model fair40.4%59.6%
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
NYINew York Islanders+14740%————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−14760%————
SpreadBUF by 0.7
NYINew York Islanders+0.7our margin————
BUFBuffalo Sabres−0.7our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.2
Over6.2our total————
Under6.2our 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 0.7 expected
New York Islanders by 6 goals: <1%New York Islanders by 5 goals: 1%New York Islanders by 4 goals: 3%New York Islanders by 3 goals: 7%New York Islanders by 2 goals: 7%New York Islanders by 1 goal: 21%Buffalo Sabres by 1 goal: 20%Buffalo Sabres by 2 goals: 12%Buffalo Sabres by 3 goals: 15%Buffalo Sabres by 4 goals: 9%Buffalo Sabres by 5 goals: 3%Buffalo Sabres by 6 goals: 1%
← NYI wins byBUF wins by →
Buffalo Sabres wins by 2 or more40%
Buffalo Sabres wins by 3 or more28%
New York Islanders wins by 2 or more19%
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

6.2 expected
1 goals: 2%2 goals: 2%3 goals: 11%4 goals: 8%5 goals: 21%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 19%8 goals: 8%9 goals: 10%10 goals: 3%11 goals: 3%12 goals: 1%13 goals: 1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.556%
Total over 6.545%
Total over 7.526%
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
NYIIlya Sorokin G · last 5 starts: .904 save %, 2.48 GAAstarted
BUFUkko-Pekka Luukkonen G · last 5 starts: .937 save %, 1.78 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
NYI·BUF
Mar 30 vs PIT
last game
Mar 28 vs SEA
0 days
days of rest
2 days
yes
back-to-back
no
4
games in last 7 days
3
road after a home game
home / road
4th straight home game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 74+ games
NYI·BUF
−0.01
rating (0 = average)
+0.25
2.9
goals / game
3.5
2.9
goals allowed / game
2.9
42−33
season record
45−29
21−15
home record
23−14
21−18
away record
22−15
L1
streak
W1
5−5
last 10
6−4
28.2
shots / game
28.1
52.7
faceoff %
45.6
19.3
hits / game
19.1
14.7
blocked shots / game
14.3
4.5
takeaways / game
5.1
14.6
giveaways / game
15.6

Rating Trend

NYI · BUF · 146 days
New York IslandersBuffalo Sabres
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 10 meetings · BUF 6−4
Jan 24at NYIBUF 5 − 0
Dec 20, 2025at BUFBUF 3 − 2 SO
Dec 23, 2024at NYIBUF 7 − 1
Nov 30, 2024at NYINYI 3 − 0
Nov 1, 2024at BUFNYI 4 − 3
Mar 14, 2024at BUFBUF 4 − 0
Oct 21, 2023at BUFBUF 3 − 1
Oct 14, 2023at NYINYI 3 − 2
Mar 25, 2023at NYIBUF 2 − 0
Mar 7, 2023at NYINYI 3 − 2

NYI · Last 10

5−5 · streak L1
Mar 30vs PIT3 − 8L
Mar 28vs FLA5 − 2W
Mar 26vs DAL2 − 1W
Mar 24vs CHI3 − 4L
Mar 22vs CBJ1 − 0W
Mar 21at MTL3 − 7L
Mar 19at OTT2 − 3L
Mar 17at TOR3 − 1W
Mar 14vs CGY3 − 2W
Mar 13vs LA2 − 3L

BUF · Last 10

6−4 · streak W1
Mar 28vs SEA3 − 2W
Mar 27vs DET2 − 5L
Mar 25vs BOS3 − 4L
Mar 22at ANA5 − 6L
Mar 21at LA4 − 1W
Mar 19at SJ5 − 0W
Mar 17at VGK2 − 0W
Mar 14vs TOR3 − 2W
Mar 12vs WSH1 − 2L
Mar 10vs SJ6 − 3W