Buffalo Sabres vs. Colorado AvalancheJan 2, 2025

Final / OTThursday, Jan 2, 2025· Ball Arena

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Goals	1	2	3	OT	T		Shots	1	2	3	OT	T
BUF	2	1	2	0	5		BUF	10	7	4	0	21
COL	0	1	4	1	6		COL	9	9	10	1	29

: BUF 37COL 60
: BUF 2.54COL 3.41
PP goals: BUF 2COL 1
Hits: BUF 27COL 31
Blocks: BUF 9COL 9
PIM: BUF 8COL 6
: BUF 55%COL 45%

Fantasy takeaways

Generated from the play-by-play, shifts and season context. No opinions, just what changed.

Colorado Avalanche edge Buffalo Sabres 6–5 (OT)

Colorado Avalanche beat Buffalo Sabres 6–5 in overtime at home. Jason Zucker (BUF) led the scoring with 3G 1A. BUF's first power-play unit (Zucker, Thompson, Dahlin, Quinn and Peterka) scored 2 power-play goals on 8 attempts in 2:45 together.

Points
Jason Zucker had a hat trick and an assist (4 points) on 4 shots in 18:14.Zucker
Points
Devon Toews had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 4 shots in 27:14.Toews
Points
Nathan MacKinnon had 3 assists (3 points) on 3 shots in 26:16.MacKinnon
Points
Tage Thompson had 3 assists (3 points) on 4 shots in 19:43.Thompson
Points
Cale Makar had two goals (2 points) on 5 shots in 28:17.Makar
Points
Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 22:46.Drouin
Points
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 3 shots in 25:34.Rantanen
PP1
BUF's first power-play unit (Zucker, Thompson, Dahlin, Quinn and Peterka) scored 2 power-play goals on 8 attempts in 2:45 together.Zucker Thompson Dahlin Quinn Peterka

Shot map

Both teams on one rink, filtered by strength and period.

Shot map

Every attempt, sized by expected goals. Goals are rings, shots on goal dots, misses hollow, blocks crosses.

Strength

Period

Team

← BUF attacks left (bottom on phones)COL attacks right (top on phones) →

COL
BUF
Goal
Shot on goal
Missed
Blocked

Showing 97 of 97 attempts · COL 60 · BUF 37

Game flow

Cumulative expected goals and shot attempts, with power plays shaded and goals marked.

Cumulative shot attempts

COL
BUF
Goal
Power play (shaded)

Pressure Index

COL pressure
BUF pressure
Goal
Control (|PI| > 0.25)

: descriptive only, the team with more pressure scored the next goal about half the time. In control: BUF 19% of the game, COL 41%.

Shift chart

Every shift, grouped by line and pair; bars are coloured by strength state. Click a player to highlight.

Shifts

COL

BUF

goals / penalties

Even strength
Power play
Penalty kill
Goal
Penalty

Sequence card

5-on-5 possession-chain numbers from the sequence engine (Draw Equity and control cover all situations).

Sequence card
Stat	BUF	COL
	34	46
	1.89	1.98
	1.78	1.94
	8	5
	5	2
	7	17
	−0.002	+0.002
	19%	41%

Definitions: sequence xG, transition attempts, Draw Equity, control and the Pressure Index.

Lines used

Detected from who actually shared the ice, with time together. Percentages are the unit's share of shot attempts.

Buffalo Sabres

L1Zucker – Thompson – Cozens
13:0035% CF
L2Tuch – Quinn – Kulich
9:4533% CF
L3Lafferty – Malenstyn – McLeod
9:1341% CF
L4Krebs – Peterka – Benson
6:1386% CF
D1Samuelsson – Power
16:0643% CF
D2Dahlin – Byram
13:5547% CF
D3Clifton – Bryson
8:3647% CF

PP1Zucker – Thompson – Dahlin – Quinn – Peterka
2:4589% CF
PP2Tuch – Cozens – Power – Kulich – Benson
0:420% CF
PK1FMalenstyn – Cozens
0:58
PK2FTuch – McLeod
0:53
PK1DByram – Power
0:58
PK2DClifton – Samuelsson
0:53

Current BUF line combinations →

Colorado Avalanche

L1Kelly – O'Connor – Kiviranta
7:4847% CF
L2MacKinnon – Drouin – Rantanen
7:4463% CF
L3Lehkonen – Colton – Mittelstadt
4:56100% CF
L4Parssinen – Olausson – Innala
4:4933% CF
D1Toews – Makar
14:2460% CF
D2Manson – Girard
9:0956% CF
D3Middleton – Malinski
4:4171% CF

PP1Lehkonen – MacKinnon – Drouin – Rantanen – Makar
3:10100% CF
PP2Toews – Girard – Colton – Mittelstadt – Parssinen
0:25100% CF
PK1FKelly – O'Connor
1:46
PK2FLehkonen – Kiviranta
0:36
PK1DToews – Makar
2:04
PK2DManson – Girard
0:55

Current COL line combinations →

Scoring summary

Every goal with the skaters on the ice for it.

OT period

0:48
COLDevon Toewswrist0.17 xG
BUF: Thompson, Cozens, PowerCOL: MacKinnon, Drouin, Toews
BUF 5 – 6 COL

Box score

Skaters grouped by the line they played on; CF% is the 5v5 share of shot attempts while on the ice.

Buffalo Sabres

BUF skaters
Skater	Line	G	A	P	+/-			Hits	Blk	PIM		PP	SH
Tage Thompson C	L1	0	3	3	-1	4	0.48	0	1	0	19:43	—	—	44	72
Dylan Cozens C	L1	0	1	1	-2	1	0.02	3	0	2	18:52	—	—	38	72
Jason Zucker L	L1	3	1	4	+1	4	1.15	2	2	0	18:14	—	—	41	72
Alex Tuch R	L2	0	0	0	-2	0	0.03	1	4	2	19:24	—	—	31	6
Jiri Kulich C	L2	0	0	0	-1	1	0.01	0	0	0	16:36	—	—	46	4
Jack Quinn R	L2	0	1	1	-1	0	0.00	1	0	0	15:22	—	—	38	8
Beck Malenstyn L	L3	0	0	0	-1	0	0.12	3	2	0	15:59	—	—	37	43
Ryan McLeod C	L3	0	0	0	0	3	0.36	0	0	0	15:17	—	—	33	42
Sam Lafferty C	L3	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	2	0	0	10:11	—	—	41	49
JJ Peterka R	L4	0	1	1	+1	2	0.12	2	0	0	11:53	—	—	50	35
Zach Benson L	L4	1	0	1	+1	1	0.04	1	0	2	9:34	—	—	67	78
Peyton Krebs C	L4	0	1	1	0	0	0.00	2	0	0	8:42	—	—	67	53
Mattias Samuelsson D	D1	0	0	0	-2	0	0.00	3	0	0	24:27	—	—	37	51
Owen Power D	D1	0	0	0	-1	2	0.03	1	0	0	22:06	—	—	45	57
Rasmus Dahlin D	D2	0	1	1	-2	1	0.06	1	0	0	23:17	—	—	37	20
Bowen Byram D	D2	1	0	1	0	1	0.13	1	0	0	21:15	—	—	50	38
Jacob Bryson D	D3	0	0	0	+1	1	0.00	0	0	0	13:20	—	—	48	49
Connor Clifton D	D3	0	0	0	+1	0	0.00	4	0	2	12:59	—	—	39	52

BUF goalies
Goalie	Dec	SA	SV	GA			TOI
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen(start)	O	29	23	6	.793	3.41	60:48

Colorado Avalanche

COL skaters
Skater	Line	G	A	P	+/-			Hits	Blk	PIM		PP	SH
Parker Kelly C	L1	0	0	0	-1	0	0.00	5	0	0	12:13	—	—	50	24
Logan O'Connor R	L1	0	0	0	-1	1	0.29	2	0	0	10:47	—	—	47	22
Joel Kiviranta L	L1	0	0	0	-1	0	0.00	4	0	0	10:39	—	—	41	17
Nathan MacKinnon C	L2	0	3	3	+2	3	0.60	1	1	0	26:16	—	—	46	35
Mikko Rantanen R	L2	1	1	2	+1	3	0.33	2	0	0	25:34	—	—	50	36
Jonathan Drouin L	L2	1	1	2	+3	2	0.18	1	0	0	22:46	—	—	67	45
Artturi Lehkonen L	L3	0	0	0	+2	0	0.00	1	0	2	22:01	—	—	56	69
Casey Mittelstadt C	L3	0	1	1	+1	3	0.10	0	0	0	17:29	—	—	85	96
Ross Colton C	L3	1	0	1	+1	2	0.55	2	0	2	14:24	—	—	85	95
Oskar Olausson R	L4	0	0	0	0	2	0.10	0	1	0	7:57	—	—	43	79
Jere Innala L	L4	0	0	0	0	0	0.12	1	0	0	7:06	—	—	50	100
Juuso Parssinen C	L4	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	1	0	0	7:01	—	—	40	70
Cale Makar D	D1	2	0	2	+3	5	0.46	1	2	0	28:17	—	—	55	67
Devon Toews D	D1	1	2	3	+3	4	0.45	0	2	0	27:14	—	—	58	37
Samuel Girard D	D2	0	1	1	0	1	0.15	2	1	0	20:32	—	—	66	77
Josh Manson D	D2	0	0	0	-1	1	0.05	4	1	2	17:59	—	—	50	59
Sam Malinski D	D3	0	0	0	0	1	0.02	0	1	0	13:42	—	—	64	61
Keaton Middleton D	D3	0	0	0	-2	1	0.01	4	0	0	9:41	—	—	46	5

COL goalies
Goalie	Dec	SA	SV	GA			TOI
Scott Wedgewood(start)	—	18	14	4	.778	1.70	41:27
Mackenzie Blackwood	W	3	2	1	.667	0.85	16:12

Goal anatomy

Animated replays from NHL EDGE tracking, with the entry, passes and shot speed for each goal.

Jason Zucker (BUF) 3rd 16:09 · assists Tage Thompson · Rebound · loose puck · 22.8 mph shot · 7.9 s from entry to goal.

Jason Zucker · 3rd 16:09 · BUF

Play: rebound
Entry: loose
Odd man: No
Passes: 0
Shot: 22.8 mph
Distance: 7 ft
Entry to goal: 7.9 s
Type: rebound

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Jason Zucker · 1st 13:17 · BUF PP

Play: deflection
Passes: 3
Shot: 19.9 mph
Distance: 5 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Bowen Byram · 1st 17:10 · BUF

Play: odd-man-rush
Entry: carry
Odd man: 2-on-1
Passes: 0
Shot: 18.0 mph
Distance: 6 ft
Entry to goal: 2.4 s

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Jason Zucker · 2nd 11:08 · BUF PP

Play: deflection
Passes: 3 (royal road)
Shot: 17.6 mph
Distance: 6 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Cale Makar · 2nd 14:58 · COL

Play: cycle
Passes: 3 (royal road)
Shot: 63.3 mph
Distance: 20 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Ross Colton · 3rd 1:05 · COL

Play: cycle
Passes: 0
Shot: 30.9 mph
Distance: 7 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Zach Benson · 3rd 1:27 · BUF

Play: turnover-forecheck
Passes: 0
Shot: 26.5 mph
Distance: 2 ft

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Mikko Rantanen · 3rd 4:17 · COL PP

Play: cycle
Passes: 4 (royal road)
Shot: 69.3 mph
Distance: 28 ft
Type: one-timer

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Cale Makar · 3rd 17:34 · COL

Play: point-shot
Passes: 4 (royal road)
Shot: 90.8 mph
Distance: 51 ft
Type: one-timer

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Jonathan Drouin · 3rd 19:52 · COL

Play: cycle
Passes: 5 (royal road)
Shot: 53.5 mph
Distance: 22 ft
Type: one-timer

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

Devon Toews · OT 0:48 · COL

Play: odd-man-rush
Entry: carry
Odd man: 1-on-0
Passes: 0
Shot: 71.9 mph
Distance: 21 ft
Entry to goal: 1.8 s

Watch on NHL.com → · Tracking-derived via NHL EDGE

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.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Colorado AvalancheJan 2, 2025

Fantasy takeaways

Colorado Avalanche edge Buffalo Sabres 6–5 (OT)

Shot map

Shot map

Game flow

Cumulative shot attempts

Shift chart

Shifts

Sequence card

Lines used

Buffalo Sabres

Colorado Avalanche

Scoring summary

1st period

2nd period

3rd period

OT period

Box score

Buffalo Sabres

Colorado Avalanche

Goal anatomy

Jason Zucker · 3rd 16:09 · BUF

Jason Zucker · 1st 13:17 · BUF PP

Bowen Byram · 1st 17:10 · BUF

Jason Zucker · 2nd 11:08 · BUF PP

Cale Makar · 2nd 14:58 · COL

Ross Colton · 3rd 1:05 · COL

Zach Benson · 3rd 1:27 · BUF

Mikko Rantanen · 3rd 4:17 · COL PP

Cale Makar · 3rd 17:34 · COL

Jonathan Drouin · 3rd 19:52 · COL

Devon Toews · OT 0:48 · COL