The NHL regular season features a cross-conference matchup on December 29, 2025, as the Buffalo Sabres travel to face the St. Louis Blues. The Sabres, with a solid record built on strong goaltending and opportunistic scoring, aim to continue their recent success against the Blues. Meanwhile, St. Louis, struggling with consistency and injuries, looks to leverage home-ice advantage to snap a potential slide. This game could highlight defensive battles, with Buffalo’s structured play clashing against St. Louis’ transitional speed.
Venue Location
The game will be held at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. This 18,096-capacity arena, located at 1401 Clark Avenue, opened in 1994 and is known for its historic charm, modern upgrades, and passionate Blues fans, creating one of the NHL’s most intimidating environments.
Puckdrop is set for 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT for St. Louis viewers)
Broadcast: Available on MSG-B for Sabres markets, Bally Sports Midwest for Blues markets, and nationally via NHL Network and ESPN+.
Injury Report
Both teams are managing injuries that could impact depth, particularly in the forward and defensive groups. Reports are as of December 28, 2025, with final statuses to be confirmed closer to puck drop.
Buffalo Sabres:
Tyson Kozak (F): Out (upper body). Sidelined since December 18, affecting bottom-six forward depth.
Conor Timmins (D): Out (broken leg). Placed on injured reserve on December 20, weakening the blue line.
Colten Ellis (G): Day-to-day (concussion). Out since December 9, but could return soon; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen expected to start if Ellis is unavailable.
No other major injuries reported, with stars like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin fully available.
St. Louis Blues:
Pius Suter (C): Day-to-day (lower body). Sustained in a recent game and likely out for December 29, impacting center depth.
Dylan Holloway (F): Out (ankle/upper body). Sidelined since December 14, further thinning forward options.
Nick Bjugstad (C): Out (upper body). Out since December 9, affecting veteran presence.
Jordan Kyrou (RW): Day-to-day (lower body). Out since December 6 but could return; his speed is crucial if available.
Nathan Walker (LW): Out (upper body). Sidelined since December 2, reducing physicality on the bottom lines.
St. Louis’ lengthy list could force reliance on younger players, while Buffalo’s goaltending depth remains a concern if Ellis sits.
Player Matchups
This game highlights offensive talents against defensive stalwarts, with potential for high-energy shifts. Key matchups to watch:
Tage Thompson (BUF C) vs. Robert Thomas (STL C): Thompson’s powerful shot and scoring (team-leading goals) against Thomas’ playmaking and two-way game. Thomas must disrupt Thompson’s zone entries to limit Buffalo’s top line.
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF D) vs. Jordan Kyrou (STL RW, if available): Dahlin’s offensive contributions from the blue line (top-10 in defenseman points) vs. Kyrou’s speed on the rush. Dahlin’s physicality could neutralize Kyrou’s breakaways.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF G) vs. Jordan Binnington (STL G): Luukkonen’s recent hot streak (.910+ SV%) against Binnington’s consistency. Binnington must stand tall against Buffalo’s volume shooters.
Alex Tuch (BUF RW) vs. Pavel Buchnevich (STL LW): Tuch’s forechecking and speed vs. Buchnevich’s scoring touch. This wing matchup could spark transition goals.
Buffalo’s top-end talent gives them an edge, but St. Louis’ depth could prevail if Kyrou plays.
Buffalo ranks mid-pack in goals for but strong defensively, while St. Louis struggles with consistency but excels in special teams when healthy.
Recent Team Forms
Buffalo is finding form with recent wins, while St. Louis is inconsistent amid injuries.
Buffalo Sabres (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 23 | vs OTT | W 3-2 | Close win; strong goaltending sealed it. statmuse.com |
| Dec 21 | vs NJD | W 3-1 | Defensive stand; limited shots. statmuse.com |
| Dec 20 | vs Islanders | L | Narrow loss; overtime defeat. |
| Dec 18 | Unknown | W | Solid effort; part of winning streak. |
| Dec ? | Unknown | L | Earlier setback. |
Form: W-W-L-W-L (3-2 in last 5). The Sabres are 6-4 in their last 10, improving offensively.
St. Louis Blues (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 22 | vs STL? | W | Win implied; strong performance. statmuse.com |
| Dec 20 | vs FLA | W 6-2 | Offensive explosion; six goals scored. |
| Dec ? | Unknown | L | Defensive issues. |
| Dec ? | Unknown | L | Part of mixed stretch. |
| Dec ? | Unknown | W | Home win. |
Form: W-W-L-L-W (3-2 in last 5). The Blues are 5-5 in their last 10, with home strength but injury concerns.
Series History
St. Louis holds a slight all-time edge over Buffalo, with 67 wins to Buffalo’s 52 in 131 regular-season meetings (including ties). The Blues have a 6-3-1 record in the last 10 games.
Recent Games:
January 9, 2020: Blues 1-0 Sabres (old reference for streak).
February 25, 2022: Blues win.
St. Louis is 41 wins at home vs. Buffalo all-time.
Games average 5.5 goals, trending under in recent low-scoring affairs.
mcubed.net +1
The Blues’ recent dominance provides confidence, but Buffalo’s historical competitiveness adds intrigue.
Betting Trends
Buffalo Sabres: Under in 6 of last 7 games; 8-0 SU in last 8 (from older trends, but current form shows mixed).
St. Louis Blues: 1-4 ATS in last 5; under in recent home games.
Head-to-Head Trends: Blues 6-3-1 in last 10 vs. Sabres; under 5.5 goals in 5 of 10.
League-Wide: Road underdogs like Sabres are 45% ATS vs. sub-.500 teams in December 2025.
Game Odds
Buffalo Sabres – 115
St. Louis Blues 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, December 28, 2025
