Skip to content
Blue Jackets at Sabres
NHL

Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres

NHL scoreboard
Columbus Blue Jackets
1
Buffalo Sabres
▸3
FinalTV FS-O, MSG-B·KeyBank Center

Recap

written from the game data

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1. The Sabres scored first and never trailed. The Sabres led 1-0 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Kyle Okposo's goal at 7:18 of the third period, which took the Sabres' chances from 80% to 95%. Expected goals were close — CBJ 2.1, BUF 2.3; shots on goal were CBJ 45, BUF 29. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Blue Jackets win a replay of these chances 57% of the time. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 of 28 (.929); Linus Ullmark stopped 44 of 45 (.978), 1.1 goals saved above expected. Three stars: 1. Linus Ullmark (44 saves, .978), 2. Kyle Okposo (1 G, 1 A), 3. Jack Eichel (1 G, 1 A).

Three stars

  1. ★
    BUF
    L. Ullmark44 saves, .978
  2. ★★
    BUF
    K. Okposo1 G, 1 A
  3. ★★★
    BUF
    J. Eichel1 G, 1 A

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
CBJCBJ011015119145
BUFBUF1150727329

Scoring

4 goals

1st period

  1. BUF
    B. Pouliot(9)
    K. Okposo (17), J. Eichel (23)
    wristxG 0.12win prob +13 pts
    0-1
    11:41

3rd period

  1. BUF
    K. Okposo(7)
    E. Kane (20), B. Guhle (1)
    snapxG 0.16win prob +14 pts
    0-2
    7:18
  2. CBJ
    A. Panarin(12)PPG
    Z. Werenski (10), S. Jones (22)
    backhandxG 0.07win prob +8 pts
    1-2
    13:45
  3. BUF
    J. Eichel(18)EN
    R. O'Reilly (19)
    snapxG 0.55win prob +5 pts
    1-3
    19:54

Penalties

CBJ 2 PIM·BUF 4 PIM

2nd

  • 20:00BUFRasmus Ristolainen · Roughingdrawn by Josh Anderson2 min
  • 20:00CBJJosh Anderson · Roughingdrawn by Rasmus Ristolainen2 min

3rd

  • 12:26BUFEvan Rodrigues · Trippingdrawn by Alexander Wennberg2 min

Win probability

ours · the whole game
Tap or hover the chart for the moment-by-moment number
BUF goalCBJ goalFinal: BUF 100%

Biggest swing: Kyle Okposo, 3rd 7:18 — BUF 80% → 95%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
J. Eichel · Goal · xG 0.55R. O'Reilly · On goal · xG 0.41K. Okposo · Goal · xG 0.16E. Kane · On goal · xG 0.14B. Pouliot · Goal · xG 0.12E. Kane · On goal · xG 0.09K. Okposo · On goal · xG 0.07Z. Girgensons · On goal · xG 0.07K. Okposo · Missed · xG 0.07E. Rodrigues · On goal · xG 0.07J. Larsson · Missed · xG 0.06E. Kane · On goal · xG 0.06S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.05J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.04B. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.04E. Kane · On goal · xG 0.04R. Ristolainen · On goal · xG 0.03B. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.03J. Pominville · On goal · xG 0.02J. Falk · On goal · xG 0.02K. Okposo · On goal · xG 0.02R. O'Reilly · On goal · xG 0.02J. McCabe · Missed · xG 0.01J. Pominville · On goal · xG 0.01R. Ristolainen · On goal · xG 0.01J. Falk · Missed · xG 0.01J. McCabe · On goal · xG 0.01J. Larsson · On goal · xG 0.01N. Beaulieu · On goal · xG 0.01Z. Girgensons · On goal · xG 0.01N. Beaulieu · On goal · xG 0.01S. Wilson · On goal · xG 0.01R. O'Reilly · On goal · xG 0.00
BUF3 G · 2.3 xG · 33 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

CBJvsBUF
2.11 G
All situations
2 G2.3
1.90 G
Even strength
2 G1.7
0.21 G
Power play
0 G0.0

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 92 unblocked attempts. Empty-net goals are left out of the goal counts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
CBJ57%43%BUF

Flurry-adjusted xG 2.07 – 1.69

How often each side wins a replay of these chances with league-average goaltending at both ends. Rebounds in a flurry are counted once, so a scramble is not three chances.

Team stats

CBJvsBUF
45
Shots on goal
29
41%
Faceoffs
59%
1/1
Power play
0/0
2
Penalty minutes
4
13
Hits
14
10
Blocked shots
14
5
Giveaways
3
5
Takeaways
5

Box score

every player line
Columbus Blue Jackets skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
3S. JonesD011-270.19110—25:56
8Z. WerenskiD011-240.07020—25:08
9A. PanarinL101-230.41000—23:15
18P. DuboisC000-220.190102822:47
77J. AndersonR000-230.040122522:00
65M. NutivaaraD000020.07100—20:04
58D. SavardD000020.07100—19:36
71N. FolignoL000-150.18420—19:19
10A. WennbergC000-100.002102918:12
38B. JennerC000020.051105017:09
4S. HarringtonD000-120.02010—14:31
7J. JohnsonD000010.03000—13:43
11M. CalvertL000-130.41100—12:08
28O. BjorkstrandR000-140.17000—11:39
45L. SedlakC000-120.031006911:39
14J. SchroederC000020.121005008:24
64T. MotteC000010.02000007:01
37M. HannikainenL000000.00000—06:57
Columbus Blue Jackets goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
72S. Bobrovsky(L)28262.9291.73-0.2758:32

Season series

CBJ leads 2-1

Data: NHL. Model: Gridpex (expected goals and win probability built on NHL play-by-play).