Schedule / Matchup Preview

New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview @ Sabres · SAT · DEC 26 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 26 · 6:00 PM CT
KeyBank Center
MSG · MSG-B
New Jersey Devils
Devils
1–1–0
@
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres
1–1–0
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 26 · 6:00 PM CT
MSG · MSG-B
New Jersey Devils
Away · Devils
1–1–0
2 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has not had an answer for Jack Hughes: 6 goals on 20 shots. But Tage Thompson has made a habit of hurting the Devils: 6 points in the last 4 meetings.
KeyBank Center
Buffalo Sabres
Home · Sabres
1–1–0
2 PTS
Devils
GOALIES
Sabres
Jake Allen
Jake Allen
Expected
.920 SV% · 1.89 GAA · 1W
.896 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Expected
.784 SV% · 4.03 GAA · 1W
.847 SV% L5 · Cooling
Devils
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Sabres
L1
Anthony Mantha · Jack Hughes · Jesper Bratt
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Timo Meier · Nico Hischier · Luke Evangelista
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Arseny Gritsyuk · Evan Rodrigues · Dawson Mercer
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Amadeus Lombardi · Cody Glass · Stefan Noesen
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Luke Hughes · Brett Pesce
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Jonas Siegenthaler · Dougie Hamilton
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Brenden Dillon · Declan Chisholm
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Jesper Bratt · Nico Hischier · Luke Evangelista · Jack Hughes · Luke Hughes
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Timo Meier · Evan Rodrigues · Anthony Mantha · Arseny Gritsyuk · Dougie Hamilton
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Nico Hischier · Dawson Mercer · Brenden Dillon · Brett Pesce
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Cody Glass · Jesper Bratt · Jonas Siegenthaler · Dougie Hamilton
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
DevilsProjected lines
L1
Anthony Mantha · Jack Hughes · Jesper Bratt
L2
Timo Meier · Nico Hischier · Luke Evangelista
L3
Arseny Gritsyuk · Evan Rodrigues · Dawson Mercer
L4
Amadeus Lombardi · Cody Glass · Stefan Noesen
D1
Luke Hughes · Brett Pesce
D2
Jonas Siegenthaler · Dougie Hamilton
D3
Brenden Dillon · Declan Chisholm
PP1
Jesper Bratt · Nico Hischier · Luke Evangelista · Jack Hughes · Luke Hughes
PP2
Timo Meier · Evan Rodrigues · Anthony Mantha · Arseny Gritsyuk · Dougie Hamilton
PK1
Nico Hischier · Dawson Mercer · Brenden Dillon · Brett Pesce
PK2
Cody Glass · Jesper Bratt · Jonas Siegenthaler · Dougie Hamilton
SabresProjected lines
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
New Jersey Devils · Oct 3 · 6:15 PM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
Devils
INJURY REPORT
Sabres
Connor Brown
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Seamus Casey
IR · Knee · Expected back Nov 21
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Johnathan Kovacevic
IR · Right knee · Expected back Oct 6
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Nick Bjugstad
IR · Left pectoral (surgery) · Expected back Jan 19
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
DevilsInjury report
Connor Brown
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Seamus Casey
IR · Knee · Expected back Nov 21
Johnathan Kovacevic
IR · Right knee · Expected back Oct 6
Nick Bjugstad
IR · Left pectoral (surgery) · Expected back Jan 19
SabresInjury report
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
New Jersey Devils · Oct 3 · 6:15 PM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Devils lost their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games. The Sabres won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has not had an answer for Jack Hughes: 6 goals on 20 shots. But Tage Thompson has made a habit of hurting the Devils: 6 points in the last 4 meetings.

A milestone is in reach for Nico Hischier: 2 more goals for 400 career goals.

The numbers behind it
Matchup
Jack Hughes has 6 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (20 shots).
(New Jersey)
6 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Matchup
Jason Zucker has 7 goals on Jake Allen (91 shots).
(Buffalo)
7 goals on Jake Allen
Player
Tage Thompson has 6 points in his last 4 games against New Jersey. See the games →
(Buffalo)
6 pts, last 4 vs NJD
Milestone
Nico Hischier is 2 goals shy of 400 career goals.
398 career goals