The Buffalo Sabres (13-14-4) invade the Pacific Northwest for a cross-conference tilt against the Seattle Kraken (12-11-6), where Buffalo’s road resilience meets Seattle’s desperate bid to halt a slide amid key absences. The Sabres, riding back-to-back regulation road wins for the first time this season, aim to exploit the Kraken’s injury-decimated forward group and leaky defense (2.93 GA/GP, 18th league-wide). Seattle, mired in a 1-4-0 funk over their last five, leans on home-ice grit and goaltender Joey Daccord’s .915 SV% to spark a turnaround. This matchup could hinge on Buffalo’s power play (20.6%, 10th) versus Seattle’s middling PK (66.7%, 30th), with high-event potential given the series’ over trend. Faceoff is set for Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. ET from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. The 17,151-seat venue, opened in 2021, has been uneven for the Kraken this season (6-6-3 home), where they’ve averaged 2.8 GPG but surrendered 3.0.
Broadcast options include MSG-B (for Sabres fans), ROOT Sports NW, and national streaming on ESPN+.
Team Records and Standings
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away Split | Conference/Division Rank | PK% / PP% |
| Buffalo Sabres | 13-14-4 | 9-5-2 Home / 4-9-2 Away | 16th East / 8th Atlantic (30 pts) | 85.6% / 20.6% |
| Seattle Kraken | 12-11-6 | 6-6-3 Home / 6-5-3 Away | 13th West / 6th Pacific (30 pts) | 66.7% / 18.7% |
Buffalo clings to the East’s second wild-card spot, outscoring foes by a slim 0.02 goals per game. Seattle treads water in the Pacific playoff hunt, hampered by scoring droughts (2.50 GPG, 27th).
Recent Team Forms
Buffalo’s road surge (3-0-0 last three away) highlights offensive balance (3.00 GPG), while Seattle’s skid exposes turnover issues (13.2/game) and poor closeouts (3.2 GA in third periods last five). The Kraken’s home PK (72.4%) offers hope, but injuries cap upside.
Buffalo Sabres Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats (Sabres) |
| Dec. 11 | @ VAN | W 3-2 | 28 SOG, 0/3 PP, 2.45 xGA |
| Dec. 9 | @ EDM | W 4-3 OT | 28 SOG, 2/4 PP, 3.12 xGF |
| Dec. 5 | @ WPG | L 1-4 | 35 SOG, 0/2 PP, 1.92 xGA |
| Dec. 3 | @ PHI | L 2-5 | 29 SOG, 1/3 PP, 2.45 xGA |
| Dec. 1 | vs. WPG | W 5-1 | 31 SOG, 1/4 PP, 3.45 xGF |
Form Summary: 3-2-0. Averaging 3.0 GPG while allowing 3.0 GPG. Road wins feature strong shot suppression (28.3 SOG/game), but PK slips to 80% last five; Lyon’s .912 SV% in starts bolsters confidence.
Seattle Kraken Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats (Kraken) |
| Dec. 12 | vs. UTA | L 3-5 | 32 SOG, 1/3 PP, 3.12 xGF |
| Dec. 10 | vs. LAK | W 3-2 OT | 33 SOG, 1/4 PP, 2.18 xGA |
| Dec. 8 | vs. MIN | L 1-4 | 24 SOG, 0/2 PP, 1.92 xGA |
| Dec. 6 | vs. DET | L 3-4 | 27 SOG, 0/3 PP, 2.45 xGA |
| Dec. 4 | @ EDM | L 4-9 | 32 SOG, 1/5 PP, 4.56 xGA |
Form Summary: 1-4-0. Averaging 2.6 GPG but yielding 4.8 GPG. Home losses highlight PK woes (50% last three), with Daccord’s .915 SV% masking defensive gaps (30.0 SA/game allowed).
Injury Report
Forwards dominate the absences, thinning scoring for both but hitting Seattle harder (top-six voids). Buffalo’s depth shines on the road.
Buffalo Sabres Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Alex Tuch | Day-to-Day | Illness (since Dec. 11) |
| Josh Norris | Day-to-Day | Illness/Soreness (since Dec. 9) |
| Colten Ellis | Out (IR) | Concussion (since Dec. 9) |
Seattle Kraken Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Jaden Schwartz | Out | Lower Body (23 GP: 8G-7A) |
| Jared McCann | Out (3 wks) | Lower Body (11 GP: 5G-3A) |
| Berkly Catton | Out | Upper Body (21 GP: 0G-5A) |
| Matt Murray | Out | Lower Body (G, 5 GP: 0-2-1) |
Tuch/Norris questionable thins Buffalo’s wings; McCann/Schwartz absences drop Seattle’s xGF by 0.4/60.
Key Player MatchupsI
njuries force small-ball: Buffalo’s rush (14.2 fast-break goals/60) tests Seattle’s depleted D (No. 24 in opponent rush chances). Kraken’s cycle exploits Sabres’ transitions.
Tage Thompson (BUF, 0.85 pts/game) vs. Vince Dunn (SEA, 0.58 pts/game): Thompson’s shot (3.4 SOG/game) overwhelms Dunn’s QB; Dunn (18 A) feeds rushes but gaps sans depth. Edge: Thompson—multi-point prop over 0.5 pts.
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF, 0.92 pts/game) vs. Brandon Montour (SEA, 0.45 pts/game): Dahlin’s mobility (22 A) vs. Montour’s experience; Montour disrupts (1.2 BKS) but tires. Edge: Dahlin—expect 25+ minutes, over 0.5 pts.
Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA, 0.62 pts/game) vs. Dylan Cozens (BUF, 0.48 pts/game): Bjorkstrand’s edge (12 G) battles Cozens’ two-way (52% FO); Cozens wins draws for clears. Edge: Bjorkstrand—GWG threat sans McCann.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF, .910 SV%) vs. Joey Daccord (SEA, .915 SV%): Luukkonen’s rebound control (0.90/60) vs. Daccord’s high-danger (.89 SV%); road/home edge to SEA. Edge: Daccord—over 28 saves.
Bonus Watch: JJ Peterka (BUF winger) steps up sans Tuch, potential 0.5 pts vs. Kraken’s third pair.
Series History
Seattle owns a lopsided edge (7-1-0), winning the last seven with offensive tilts (avg. 8.0 goals/game). Buffalo’s lone win: Nov. 27, 2023 (3-1). Overs dominate (7/8).
Last 5 Head-to-Head Meetings:
| Date | Result | Key Notes |
| Mar. 10, 2024 | SEA 4-3 BUF OT | Bjorkstrand GWG; O 7 total |
| Nov. 27, 2023 | BUF 3-1 SEA | Luukkonen 28 saves; BUF’s win |
| Apr. 4, 2023 | SEA 3-2 BUF | Montour OT; U 5.5 |
| Feb. 21, 2023 | SEA 5-2 BUF | Kraken rally; high shots |
| Nov. 29, 2021 | SEA 7-4 BUF | Early blowout; O 11 |
Trend: Kraken 4-1 SU, averaging 4.8 GPG. Seattle 5-0 ATS as favorites; overs in 4/5 at Climate Pledge.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: Buffalo 5-3 ATS as road favorites; Seattle 4-5 ATS as home dogs.
Total: Sabres games hit Over in 52% (16/31); Kraken in 55% (17/29), series 7/8 Overs.
Game Odds
Buffalo Sabres – 120
Seattle Kraken 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, December 13, 2025
