Washington Capitals at Buffalo SabresMar 18, 2027

Time TBDThursday, Mar 18, 2027

away

Washington CapitalsWSH

at

home

Buffalo SabresBUF

Preview

Probable goalies, start odds, schedule edge and each team's lines from its last game.

Schedule Edge

Edge: BUF +11.9 pts

WSHaway−11.8 pts

Back-to-back · 469 km travel

B2B vs rested BUF −9.3 pts
Backup likely (61%) −2.5 pts

BUFhome+11.9 pts

2 days rest

WSH on a B2B +9.3 pts
WSH backup likely (61%) +2.6 pts

BUF has the schedule edge (+11.9 pts net win probability): wsh on a b2b, wsh backup likely (61%), b2b vs rested buf, backup likely (61%).

· Every game this week →

Washington Capitals

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Charlie Lindgren61%
Logan Thompson39%
Schedule: Second of a back-to-back
Last game: W 5–2 at CAR · Oct 2

L1Jenner – Beauvillier – Sourdif
9:20
L2Kyrou – Protas – Protas
8:28
L3Ovechkin – Strome – Leonard
6:22
L4Wilson – Tuch – Dubois
5:59
D1Roy – Chychrun
10:48
D2Desharnais – Hutson
9:27
D3Liljegren – Fehérváry
7:08
PP1Ovechkin – Wilson – Strome – Chychrun – Dubois
1:50

Projected WSH lines →·WSH goalies →·Goalie start planner →

Buffalo Sabres

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen82%
Alex Lyon11%
Colten Ellis7%
Schedule: Rested
Last game: L 3–6 at CBJ · Oct 1

L1Quinn – Ostlund – Benson
11:13
L2Thompson – Norris – Doan
10:19
L3McLeod – Krebs – Helenius
10:05
L4Carrick – Malenstyn – Kulich
6:00
D1Samuelsson – Dahlin
13:10
D2Crevier – Power
10:21
D3Grzelcyk – Metsa
8:13
PP1Thompson – Dahlin – Quinn – Doan – Benson
4:22

Projected BUF lines →·BUF goalies →·Goalie start planner →

Game day: all games on Mar 18.

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Methodology

Shot locations come from the NHL play-by-play, normalised so each shooter attacks the same way, then flipped so the home team attacks right. On-ice stats and lines come from the shift charts: a unit is the exact set of skaters sharing the ice, and CF% is the share of all shot attempts while they were out. Head-to-head cells are 5v5 time against each opponent. Expected goals and the Pressure Index appear as their models are released.