The Minnesota Wild travel east to face the surging Buffalo Sabres in an interconference matchup that could showcase offensive fireworks between two high-scoring squads, but injuries to key Wild forwards might tilt the scales toward Buffalo’s home-ice advantage. The Wild, amid a rare three-game skid, rely on Kirill Kaprizov’s playmaking to spark a rebound, while the Sabres, winners of 15 of their last 17, aim to extend their dominance with Tage Thompson leading the charge. Expect a fast-paced game, but Minnesota’s depleted lineup could lead to a defensive struggle if Buffalo controls the neutral zone.
Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Puckdrop is scheduled for 12:30 PM ET (broadcast on NHLN, MSG-B, FDSNWI, FDSNNO)
Recent Team Forms
Buffalo has been red-hot, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 with elite power-play efficiency, while Minnesota has stumbled to 4-3-3, allowing over 4 goals per game in recent losses.
Minnesota Wild Last 10 Games (4-3-3 record, averaging 3.0 PPG scored, 3.8 PPG allowed)
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 1/15/2026 | vs WPG | L 2-6 | 2 PTS, 34 SOG |
| 1/12/2026 | vs NJD | L 2-5 | 2 PTS, 22 SOG |
| 1/10/2026 | vs NYI | L 3-4 (OT) | 3 PTS, 31 SOG |
| 1/8/2026 | vs LAK | W 3-2 | 3 PTS, 28 SOG |
| 1/6/2026 | @ VGK | W 4-3 (SO) | 4 PTS, 30 SOG |
| 1/4/2026 | @ ARI | L 1-3 | 1 PTS, 25 SOG |
| 1/3/2026 | vs COL | W 5-4 (OT) | 5 PTS, 29 SOG |
| 1/1/2026 | vs DAL | L 2-4 | 2 PTS, 27 SOG |
| 12/30/2025 | @ STL | W 3-1 | 3 PTS, 32 SOG |
| 12/28/2025 | vs CHI | L 4-5 (OT) | 4 PTS, 28 SOG |
Buffalo Sabres Last 10 Games (8-2-0 record, averaging 4.1 PPG scored, 2.9 PPG allowed)
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 1/15/2026 | vs MTL | W 5-3 | 5 PTS, 32 SOG |
| 1/14/2026 | vs PHI | W 5-2 | 5 PTS, 25 SOG |
| 1/12/2026 | vs BOS | L 3-4 | 3 PTS, 28 SOG |
| 1/10/2026 | vs ANA | W 5-3 | 5 PTS, 30 SOG |
| 1/8/2026 | @ OTT | W 4-2 | 4 PTS, 29 SOG |
| 1/6/2026 | @ TOR | W 3-1 | 3 PTS, 27 SOG |
| 1/4/2026 | vs FLA | L 2-4 | 2 PTS, 26 SOG |
| 1/3/2026 | @ CBJ | W 4-1 | 4 PTS, 31 SOG |
| 1/1/2026 | vs TBL | W 5-2 | 5 PTS, 28 SOG |
| 12/30/2025 | @ CAR | W 3-2 (OT) | 3 PTS, 29 SOG |
Injury Report
Injuries decimate Minnesota’s forward group, forcing reliance on depth players, while Buffalo manages with minor absences but remains potent up front.
Minnesota Wild
Out: Matt Boldy (LW, Undisclosed/Lower Body, IR until at least Jan 24), Joel Eriksson Ek (C, Lower Body, IR until at least Jan 17), Zach Bogosian (D, Undisclosed, IR until at least Jan 17), Jonas Brodin (D, Lower Body, IR until at least Jan 29)
Buffalo Sabres
Questionable/Day-to-Day: Josh Norris (C, Upper Body/Ribs, out since Jan 14)
Out: Josh Dunne (C, Middle Body/Undisclosed, IR since Jan 12), Alex Lyon (G, Lower Body, IR until at least Jan 17), Michael Kesselring (D, Ankle, IR since Dec), Justin Danforth (RW, Lower Body, IR), Jiri Kulich (F, Ear/Blood Clot, out significant time)
Key Player Matchups
With Minnesota shorthanded, Buffalo’s stars could exploit mismatches, but the Wild’s goaltending might keep it close if they limit high-danger chances.
Kirill Kaprizov (MIN) vs. Tage Thompson (BUF): Top scorers clash; Kaprizov (25G, 27A) vs. Thompson (25G, 24A) in a battle of elite snipers and playmakers.
Mats Zuccarello (MIN) vs. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF): Zuccarello’s vision tests Dahlin’s defensive prowess (recent power-play goals).
Ryan Hartman (MIN) vs. Alex Tuch (BUF): Gritty forwards; Hartman’s checking vs. Tuch’s speed on the wing.
Overall Edge: Sabres’ momentum and health give them the advantage, but Wild’s road resilience (13-7-3) could spark an upset.
Series History
The series is evenly matched all-time, but Buffalo has edged recent encounters, including a win earlier this season. All-Time Record: Tied 17-17 in 34 regular-season games
Recent Meetings: Sabres won the last on 11/29/2025 (3-2 SO).
In the last 5 games: Sabres 3-2 (average score: BUF 3.4, MIN 2.8)
At KeyBank Center: Sabres have won 10 of the last 16 home games vs. Wild
Betting Trends
Wild: 4-3-3 in last 10; 2-5 ATS in last 7 games
Sabres: 8-2-0 in last 10; 3-2 ATS in last 5
O/U Trends: Wild: Over in 4 of last 6; games average 6.8 total points.
Sabres: Over in 29 of 46 games; but under in 4 of last 7 home games
Game Odds
Minnesota Wild 6.5
Buffalo Sabres – 130
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, January 16, 2026
