Buffalo Sabres Week in Review (Dec. 15 - Dec. 23)

Photo Credit: Micheline Veluvolu (X: @MiMiV4682)

It’s beginning to feel a lot like a Christmas miracle in Buffalo. The Sabres entered the holiday break as the hottest team in the NHL, riding a league-leading seven-game winning streak and sitting just two points out of a playoff spot. They’re also a perfect 7-0-0 since the start of the “Jarmo Era.”

In what has historically been a challenging stretch on the calendar, Buffalo is playing some of its best hockey in recent memory. Long-standing issues – road struggles and the inability to protect leads – are quickly fading, and for the first time in a while, the momentum appears to be firmly on the Sabres’ side.

Upcoming Schedule:

• Dec. 27 vs. Boston Bruins

• Dec. 29 vs. St. Louis Blues

• Dec. 31 vs. Dallas Stars

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the four games last week:

Buffalo Sabres vs. Philadelphia Flyers – Dec. 18th, 2025

Final: 5 (BUF) - 3 (PHI)

The Sabres pushed their winning streak to five games with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. The win marked head coach Lindy Ruff’s 915th career NHL victory, moving him past Barry Trotz for fourth all-time in League history.

Jack Quinn opened the scoring early in the first period, redirecting a Mattias Samuelsson point shot past Samuel Ersson for a 1-0 lead. Philadelphia responded quickly, as Noah Cates beat Alex Lyon glove side just 58 seconds later to tie the game.

The Flyers grabbed a 2-1 lead midway through the second period on a goal from Cam York at 11:01. Buffalo answered late in the frame, with Tage Thompson converting a between-the-legs feed from Rasmus Dahlin to even the score. Noah Ostlund restored the Sabres’ lead in the final 30 seconds of the period, snapping a wrist shot through traffic after taking a pass from Owen Power.

Josh Norris made it 4-2 midway through the third period with a power-play goal.

Buffalo defenseman Conor Timmins was helped off the ice following an awkward fall near the penalty box and did not return. He suffered a broken leg and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

Travis Konecny pulled the Flyers within one with a blocker-side shot from the slot, but the Sabres held on down the stretch. Ryan McLeod sealed the win with an empty-net goal with eight seconds remaining.

Lyon finished with 24 saves for Buffalo, while Ersson stopped 23 shots for Philadelphia.

Three Stars:

#1. Zach Benson (BUF) – 2A

#2. Tage Thompson (BUF) – 1G

#3. Alex Lyon (BUF) – .889 SV%

Buffalo Sabres vs. New York Islanders – Dec. 20th, 2025

Final/SO: 3 (BUF) - 2 (NYI)

The Sabres bounced back in a shootout to earn their fifth straight win, defeating the New York Islanders 3-2 at KeyBank Center on Saturday night.

Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring on the power play just two minutes into the first period. After Alex Lyon left the puck for him behind the net, the Sabres captain went end-to-end and slipped a backhand off the right post and in.

Tage Thompson doubled the lead in the second period, taking a short drop pass from Josh Doan in the left circle and tucking the puck behind David Rittich. The goal extended Thompson’s goal streak to six games.

Mathew Barzal cut the deficit to one in the final minute of the period, finishing a rebound in front after Lyon made the initial stop.

Josh Norris scored the deciding goal in the fifth round of the shootout after Emil Heineman tied the game with 29 seconds remaining in regulation.

Lyon made 32 saves for Buffalo, while Rittich stopped 30 shots for the Islanders.

Three Stars:

#1. Alex Lyon (BUF) – .941 SV%

#2. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) – 1G

#3. Josh Norris (BUF) – Shootout winner

Buffalo Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils – Dec. 21st, 2025

Final: 3 (BUF) - 1 (NJD)

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 shots in his first start in six games as the Sabres earned their sixth straight win with a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Jake Hughes, returning after missing 18 games, opened the scoring for New Jersey with a snap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle in the first period.

Josh Norris tied the game early in the second, jamming away at a loose puck in the crease that had slipped under Jake Allen’s left pad.

Zach Benson gave Buffalo the lead late in the game on a 2-on-1 rush, using Jack Quinn as a decoy before snapping a shot from the lower right circle. Peyton Krebs sealed the win with an empty-net goal with two minutes remaining.

Three Stars:

#1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) – .963 SV%

#2. Zach Benson (BUF) – 1G

#3. Jack Hughes (NJD) – 1G

Buffalo Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators – Dec. 23rd, 2025

Final/OT: 3 (BUF) - 2 (OTT)

Bowen Byram scored 31 seconds into overtime as the Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Tuesday night, closing out the pre-holiday schedule with their seventh consecutive win.

Byram opened the scoring in the first period, jumping in from the blue line and finishing a long seam pass from Jordan Greenway. Ottawa answered shortly after, as Ridly Greig drove the net on a 2-on-1 rush and tied the game with a backhand finish.

Noah Ostlund restored Buffalo’s lead six minutes into the second period with a perfectly timed tip on a Byram wrist shot. Tim Stützle tied the game again on the power play later in the frame.

Late in the third period, Alex Lyon came up with a highlight-reel glove save on Drake Batherson to keep the game tied. Buffalo then successfully killed off a late hooking penalty to force overtime.

In the extra frame, Byram – who also recorded an assist – one-timed a cross-slot feed from Ryan McLeod past Linus Ullmark's blocker side to secure the win.

Three Stars:

#1. Bowen Byram (BUF) – 2G, 1A

#2. Ridly Greig (OTT) – 1G

#3. Alex Lyon (BUF) – .923 SV%

Notable Injuries:

• Rasmus Dahlin (D): Day-to-day (Personal)

• Tyson Kozak (F): Day-to-day (Upper Body)

• Jason Zucker (F): Day-to-day (Lower Body)

• Colten Ellis (G): Week-to-week (Concussion)

• Justin Danforth (D): Week-to-week (Lower Body)

• Conor Timmins (D): Week-to-week (Broken Leg)

• Jiri Kulich (F): LTIR (Ear)

Notable Transactions:

• Ryan Johnson (D): Recalled from Rochester (AHL) – Dec. 27 

• Isak Rosen (F): Recalled from Rochester (AHL) – Dec. 20

• Noah Östlund (F): Recalled from Rochester (AHL) – Dec. 13

• Zachary Metsa (D): Recalled from Rochester (AHL) – Dec. 7