Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue JacketsJan 8, 2027

Time TBDFriday, Jan 8, 2027

away

Buffalo SabresBUF

at

home

Columbus Blue JacketsCBJ

Preview

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

Schedule Edge

Edge: BUF +9.3 pts

BUFaway+9.3 pts

2 days rest · 1,034 km travel

CBJ on a B2B +9.3 pts

CBJhome−9.3 pts

Back-to-back · 753 km travel

B2B vs rested BUF −9.3 pts

BUF has the schedule edge (+9.3 pts net win probability): cbj on a b2b, b2b vs rested buf.

· Every game this week →

Buffalo Sabres

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen77%
Alex Lyon14%
Colten Ellis9%
Schedule: Rested · plays again tomorrow
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 →

Columbus Blue Jackets

Goalie: Starter not announced
Start probability: Jet Greaves58%
Cam Talbot42%
Schedule: Second of a back-to-back
Last game: W 6–3 vs BUF · Oct 1

L1Coyle – Olivier – Sillinger
10:18
L2Johnson – Knies – Fantilli
10:17
L3Heinen – Garland – Lomberg
6:28
L4Monahan – Nichushkin – Voronkov
6:19
D1Werenski – Mateychuk
15:16
D2Soucy – Andrae
8:50
D3Gudbranson – Christiansen
5:17
PP1Coyle – Werenski – Johnson – Knies – Fantilli
2:18

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

Game day: all games on Jan 8.

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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.