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Sabres at Golden Knights
NHL

Buffalo Sabres at Vegas Golden Knights

NHL scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres
▸5
Vegas Golden Knights
2
FinalTV MSG-B, SCRIPPS·T-Mobile Arena

Recap

written from the game data

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. The lead changed hands 2 times. It was tied 1-1 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Zach Benson's goal at 9:29 of the third period, which took the Sabres' chances from 48% to 80%. Expected goals favored the Golden Knights, 4.8 to 2.5; shots on goal were BUF 27, VGK 35. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Golden Knights win a replay of these chances 85% of the time. Devon Levi stopped 33 of 35 (.943), 2.8 goals saved above expected; Logan Thompson stopped 22 of 26 (.846), 1.9 goals below expected. Three stars: 1. Devon Levi (33 saves, .943), 2. Zach Benson (1 G, 1 A), 3. Jack Eichel (1 G).

Three stars

  1. ★
    BUF
    D. Levi33 saves, .943
  2. ★★
    BUF
    Z. Benson1 G, 1 A
  3. ★★★
    VGK
    J. Eichel1 G

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
BUFBUF0101849527
VGKVGK014111110235

Scoring

7 goals

2nd period

  1. BUF
    D. Cozens(5)
    C. Mittelstadt (17)
    wristxG 0.05win prob +17 ptsVideo
    1-0
    7:42
  2. VGK
    I. Barbashev(7)PPG
    N. Roy (8)
    wristxG 0.38win prob +15 ptsVideo
    1-1
    13:44

3rd period

  1. VGK
    J. Eichel(13)
    P. Cotter (7)
    snapxG 0.40win prob +25 ptsVideo
    1-2
    3:22
  2. BUF
    C. Mittelstadt(7)
    D. Cozens (10), C. Clifton (7)
    snapxG 0.09win prob +27 ptsVideo
    2-2
    5:01
  3. BUF
    Z. Benson(4)
    A. Tuch (10), M. Samuelsson (3)
    backhandxG 0.22win prob +32 ptsVideo
    3-2
    9:29
  4. BUF
    A. Tuch(9)
    Z. Benson (6)
    wristxG 0.24win prob +14 ptsVideo
    4-2
    11:12
  5. BUF
    C. Mittelstadt(8)EN
    D. Cozens (11), R. Dahlin (18)
    wristxG 0.38win prob +1 ptsVideo
    5-2
    17:19

Penalties

BUF 8 PIM·VGK 2 PIM

1st

  • 6:52BUFTage Thompson · Slashingdrawn by Keegan Kolesar2 min

2nd

  • 3:35BUFBrett Murray · Slashingdrawn by Keegan Kolesar2 min
  • 5:34VGKChandler Stephenson · Roughing removing opponents helmetdrawn by Mattias Samuelsson2 min
  • 13:14BUFMattias Samuelsson · Hookingdrawn by Jack Eichel2 min
  • 18:46BUFPeyton Krebs · Roughingdrawn by Jack Eichel2 min

Win probability

ours · the whole game
Tap or hover the chart for the moment-by-moment number
VGK goalBUF goalFinal: VGK 0%

Biggest swing: Zach Benson, 3rd 9:29 — BUF 48% → 80%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
J. Eichel · Goal · xG 0.40I. Barbashev · Goal · xG 0.38I. Barbashev · On goal · xG 0.21C. Stephenson · Missed · xG 0.18J. Marchessault · On goal · xG 0.18M. Stone · On goal · xG 0.18W. Karlsson · On goal · xG 0.18B. Howden · Missed · xG 0.17W. Karlsson · On goal · xG 0.15P. Cotter · Missed · xG 0.14M. Amadio · Missed · xG 0.14M. Stone · Missed · xG 0.13J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.13N. Roy · On goal · xG 0.12P. Cotter · On goal · xG 0.11C. Stephenson · On goal · xG 0.11W. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.11N. Hague · On goal · xG 0.10P. Cotter · On goal · xG 0.09C. Stephenson · Missed · xG 0.09J. Marchessault · Missed · xG 0.08P. Cotter · On goal · xG 0.08J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.08M. Stone · On goal · xG 0.08I. Barbashev · On goal · xG 0.08W. Karlsson · Missed · xG 0.08W. Karlsson · On goal · xG 0.07W. Carrier · On goal · xG 0.06M. Amadio · On goal · xG 0.06M. Stone · On goal · xG 0.06P. Cotter · Missed · xG 0.05M. Stone · Missed · xG 0.05B. Howden · On goal · xG 0.05K. Kolesar · Missed · xG 0.05J. Eichel · Missed · xG 0.05J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.05J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.05W. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.05W. Karlsson · Missed · xG 0.05W. Carrier · On goal · xG 0.04A. Pietrangelo · On goal · xG 0.04W. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.03B. Hutton · Missed · xG 0.03N. Hague · On goal · xG 0.03N. Roy · On goal · xG 0.03K. Kolesar · On goal · xG 0.03B. McNabb · Missed · xG 0.02J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.02W. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.02J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.01W. Karlsson · Missed · xG 0.01B. McNabb · On goal · xG 0.01K. Kolesar · On goal · xG 0.01B. Pachal · On goal · xG 0.01P. Cotter · Missed · xG 0.01J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.00
VGK2 G · 4.8 xG · 56 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

BUFvsVGK
2.54 G
All situations
2 G4.8
1.94 G
Even strength
1 G3.6
0.20 G
Power play
1 G1.3
0.00 G
Shorthanded
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
BUF15%85%VGK

Flurry-adjusted xG 2.13 – 4.67

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

BUFvsVGK
27
Shots on goal
35
56%
Faceoffs
44%
0/1
Power play
1/4
8
Penalty minutes
2
30
Hits
44
19
Blocked shots
12
4
Giveaways
8
9
Takeaways
8

Box score

every player line
Buffalo Sabres skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
23M. SamuelssonD011+310.01322—26:18
26R. DahlinD011+130.10460—23:51
25O. PowerD000+110.01000—21:43
72T. ThompsonC000+240.341025319:23
89A. TuchR112+120.470105018:47
10H. JokiharjuD000+100.02230—18:43
77J. PeterkaR000+240.48110—18:25
9Z. BensonL112+130.27010—17:38
37C. MittelstadtC213+320.460005016:38
19P. KrebsC000010.104125415:58
75C. CliftonD011+100.00420—15:54
50E. RobinsonL000020.0551010015:21
24D. CozensC123+330.181006015:16
21K. OkposoR000+100.00200—14:29
33R. JohnsonD000+100.01110—11:42
17T. JostC000-110.010005011:32
71V. OlofssonL000000.00000—06:43
81B. MurrayL000000.00202—05:09
Buffalo Sabres goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
27D. Levi(W)35332.9434.84+2.8460:00

Season series

BUF leads 2-0

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