Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens: game preview

Meeting number 353

Across 352 completed games, Montréal lead the head-to-head 179-141-32.

Buffalo out-attempted Montréal 336 to 305

Every attempt from the last meetings, both teams shooting right.

Buffalo have created the better chances, last 10 games

Shot quality both ways: expected goals weigh every unblocked attempt by its chance of scoring. Finishing above zero means more goals than the chances.

Every team’s xG →

Power play and penalty kill, season and series

This season's rates first, then 2025-26 and the last meetings between the two. Power-play chances are counted from the penalty log with coincidental minors cancelled; faceoffs are each club's wins over draws taken.

All bars share one scale · 0–100%SeasonLast meetings

Rasmus Dahlin has 10 points in the last 5 meetings

Each club's top three forwards and defencemen by points this season, with 2025-26 one tap away, then who has produced in the last meetings.

Forwards to watch

See all: Forwards to watch →

2026-272025-26

PlayerGPGAPP/GP

72Tage Thompson32241.33

86Noah Ostlund31231.00

22Jack Quinn32020.67

14Nick Suzuki32462.00

22Chris Kreider31341.33

76Zachary Bolduc33031.00

Points leaders →

Defencemen to watch

See all: Defencemen to watch →

2026-272025-26

PlayerGPGAPP/GP

25Owen Power31451.67

23Mattias Samuelsson31120.67

26Rasmus Dahlin31120.67

48Lane Hutson30441.33

45Alexandre Carrier31120.67

8Mike Matheson30110.33

Defencemen stats →

In the last meetings

See all: In the last meetings →

PlayerGPGAPSOG

26Rasmus Dahlin5371016

72Tage Thompson535819

48Lane Hutson50774

71Jake Evans52465

15Alex Newhook541514

13Cole Caufield532518

93Ivan Demidov523513

20Juraj Slafkovský514517

14Nick Suzuki514510

22Jack Quinn522412

Head-to-head finder →

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been the difference

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen faced 97 shots across 4 appearances against Montréal and conceded 10, a .897 save percentage against a season figure of .784. Starters are confirmed on game day.

Expected startersAn estimate until the teams confirmEvery game tonight →

Buffalo

Expected starter after their game on 12 Oct: a back-to-back depends on who plays that night.

Montréal

Expected starter after their game on 10 Oct: a back-to-back depends on who plays that night.

Scoring rates point to about 6.7 goals

No total is posted yet: it arrives with the game-day prices. Until then, the scoring rates and the recent meetings set the range.

Goals in the last 5 meetings

18 May 20265 · MTL 3–2 BUF

16 May 202611 · BUF 8–3 MTL

14 May 20269 · MTL 6–3 BUF

12 May 20265 · BUF 3–2 MTL

10 May 20268 · BUF 2–6 MTL

Bar length is total goals, coloured by the winner.

Scoring rates

Team26-27 GF26-27 GA25-26 GF25-26 GA

Buffalo3.333.673.512.94

Montréal4.004.673.453.12

Goals for and against per game. The estimate averages each team’s scoring with the other’s goals allowed, and leans on 2025-26 until a team has played 20 games.

Scoring rates suggest6.7Goals in this game

Last 5 meetings7.6Goals per game

Line—No total posted yet

Books at the line—With the game-day prices

11 on the injury lists

Tuesday 13 October · the full slate

See all: Tuesday 13 October · the full slate →

6:00 PM ETNJDatDET6:15 PM ETFLAatCBJ6:30 PM ETBUFatMTLThis game6:45 PM ETWSHatCAR7:00 PM ETSEAatPHI7:15 PM ETTBLatNYR7:30 PM ETSTLatOTT7:45 PM ETVANatNYI8:00 PM ETPITatCHI8:15 PM ETMINatWPG8:30 PM ETCOLatDAL8:45 PM ETVGKatNSH9:00 PM ETTORatUTA9:45 PM ETCGYatANA10:30 PM ETEDMatLAK11:00 PM ETBOSatSJS

Scores →