The Buffalo Sabres (11-13-4) trek to Alberta for a cross-country clash with the Calgary Flames (11-15-4), two middling squads desperate for consistency in a Pacific-Atlantic matchup at Scotiabank Saddledome. Buffalo, mired in eighth in the Atlantic with a -12 goal differential, enters on a two-game skid after a 4-1 road loss to Winnipeg on Saturday, where Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 19 of 23 but the offense mustered just one tally. The Flames, 14th in the West, counter with back-to-back home wins, including a 2-0 shutout of Utah on Saturday behind Dustin Wolf’s 27 saves and Connor Zary’s game-winner. Calgary’s home cooking (6-4-2) meets Buffalo’s road woes (2-8-2), but the Sabres’ elite penalty kill (87.2%, 2nd) could neutralize the Flames’ middling power play (13.8%, 30th). This rematch of Calgary’s 6-2 rout on Nov. 19 tilts toward a low-scoring grind, with Buffalo hunting their first win in three tries against the Flames this season.
Game Details
Puckdrop: 9:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta (capacity: 19,289)
Broadcast: ESPN+, MSG-B (Buffalo), Sportsnet (Calgary)
This late-night affair wraps Monday’s slate, with Calgary extending a four-game homestand and Buffalo concluding a six-game road trip (1-4-1 so far). The Saddledome has hosted Flames’ 3.0 GF/G in home wins, but Buffalo’s structure could stifle that.
Injury Report
Buffalo’s absences decimate their bottom-six and prospect pipeline, forcing Alex Tuch into top-line heavy lifting, while Calgary’s long-term hits sap forward depth but leave their core intact. The Sabres have lost 78 man-games; Flames 57.
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Injury | Estimated Return | Notes |
| Buffalo Sabres | Tyson Kozak | C | Day-to-Day | Undisclosed | December 8 | Bottom-six pivot; missed Friday—full practice, likely returns to fourth line. |
| Buffalo Sabres | Michael Kesselring | D | Injured Reserve | Lower Body | December 18 | Acquired depth D; no travel for road trip, 0P in 9GP. |
| Buffalo Sabres | Jiri Kulich | C | Out | Ear (Blood Clot) | February 25, 2026 | Rookie (3G-2A in 12GP); significant time missed post-surgery. |
| Buffalo Sabres | Justin Danforth | RW | Injured Reserve | Lower Body | December 27 | Grinder; 0P in 4GP before IR. |
| Calgary Flames | Zayne Parekh | D | Out | Upper Body | December 23 | Rookie (0G-1A in 11GP); IR since Nov. 16. |
| Calgary Flames | Martin Pospisil | C | Out | Undisclosed | December 27 | No games this season; no timetable. |
| Calgary Flames | Samuel Honzek | LW | Out | Upper Body (Surgery) | May 21, 2026 | 2G-2A in 18GP; six-month recovery. |
Impact: Sabres’ thin blue line without Kesselring exposes transitions; Kulich’s absence caps scoring depth. Flames’ forward voids lean on Kadri/Zary, but home D holds firm (2.5 GA/G).
Key Player Matchups
Calgary’s home rush tests Buffalo’s road fatigue—expect board battles and PK stands. Flames’ 83.7% PK (5th) vs. Sabres’ 18.1% PP (20th).
Alex Tuch (BUF, RW) vs. Nazem Kadri (CGY, C): Tuch (team-high 15G-12A-27P) carries Buffalo’s attack (0.96 P/GP); Kadri (12G-14A-26P) owns faceoffs (52%) and grinds shifts. Tuch’s speed edges. Edge: Tuch.
Tage Thompson (BUF, C) vs. Connor Zary (CGY, C): Thompson (14G, 28 SOG) hunts net-front; Zary (8G-10A, GWG Saturday) dazzles on rush (team-high +8). Thompson’s power vs. Zary’s finesse. Edge: Even.
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF, D) vs. Jonathan Huberdeau (CGY, LW): Dahlin (7G-18A-25P, 25:45 TOI) quarterbacks PP; Huberdeau (5G-12A) creates but -5 rating. Dahlin’s mobility dominates. Edge: Dahlin.
Goalie Duel: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) vs. Dustin Wolf (CGY): Luukkonen (8-9-3, 3.12 GAA) rebounds from Saturday; Wolf (6-5-2, 2.45 GAA) rides shutout. Edge: Wolf—home hot streak.
Projected Lines (Subject to change):
Sabres: Skinner-Thompson-Tuch | Cozens-Mittelstadt-Greenway | Olofsson-Roussel-Okposo | Asplund-Bishop-Gifford | Dahlin-Power | Jokiharju-Clifton
Flames: Kadri-Backlund-Yandle | Zary-Lindholm-Coleman | Mangiapane-Dube-Pospisil (if active) | Lewis-Rittich | Andersson-Weegar
Team Records and Standings
| Team | Record | Points | Goal Diff. | Home/Away | Division Rank |
| Buffalo Sabres | 11-13-4 | 26 | -12 | 9-5-2 Home / 2-8-2 Away | 8th Atlantic |
| Calgary Flames | 11-15-4 | 26 | -14 | 6-4-2 Home / 5-11-2 Away | 14th Pacific |
Sabres rank 20th GF/G (2.93), 26th GA/G (3.43), 87.2% PK (2nd); Flames 32nd GF/G (2.33), 12th GA/G (2.87), 83.7% PK (5th).
Recent Team Forms
Buffalo’s skid highlights offensive droughts (1.8 GF/G L2), while Calgary’s wins showcase Wolf’s netminding (1.5 GA/G L2).
Sabres Last 5 Games (2-3-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec. 5 | @ WPG | L 1-4 | Luukkonen 19/23 saves; 1G on 35 SOG. |
| Dec. 3 | @ PHI | L 2-5 | Mittelstadt 1G; 1/6 PP, defensive woes. |
| Dec. 1 | vs. WPG | W 5-1 | Thompson 2G; offensive breakout. |
| Nov. 29 | @ MIN | W 3-2 | Tuch GWG; PK 3/3. |
| Nov. 28 | vs. NJD | L 0-5 | Shutout loss; 0/2 PP. |
Flames Last 5 Games (3-2-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec. 6 | vs. UTA | W 2-0 | Wolf shutout (27 saves); Zary GWG. |
| Dec. 4 | vs. MIN | W 4-1 | Kadri 2G; strong PK (5/5). |
| Dec. 2 | @ NSH | L 1-5 | Wolf pulled; 1/3 PP allowed. |
| Nov. 30 | @ CAR | L 0-1 | Low-event; 0/1 PP. |
| Nov. 28 | @ FLA | W 5-3 | Huberdeau 2A; 1/2 PP. |
Sabres 4-5-1 L10 (2.9 GF/G); Flames 5-4-1 L10 (2.5 GF/G).
Series History
These inter-conference foes have met 120 times (regular season), with Buffalo holding a 57-43-20 edge (47.5% win rate for Flames). Sabres lead at home (34-18-8) and Flames on road (21-31-5-3? Wait, overall road/home balanced). This season: Flames 1-0, via 6-2 on Nov. 19. All-time avg. 6.5 goals; recent H2H: Over in 3/5. No playoff history.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: BUF covers 60% as road dogs.
Total (O/U): 6 (Over +110 to +114; Under -135) – Under 7-3 in Flames’ L10 home; Sabres 4-1 Under L5 road.
Trends: Flames 1-0 SU H2H this year; Sabres 2-8 SU L10 road. BUF 4-1 ATS as +110 dogs.
Game Odds
Buffalo Sabres 6.5
Calgary Flames 110
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, December 7, 2025
