The Buffalo Sabres begin their 2025-26 NHL season at home against the New York Rangers on Thursday night. The puck drops at 7:00 PM ET at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Oddsmakers list New York as a small favorite at -115, with Buffalo sitting at -105. The total is 6 goals for this early-season Eastern Conference matchup.
The Rangers come in after a 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on opening night. It was a frustrating start to the year as they failed to score despite solid puck movement and 25 shots on goal. Buffalo, meanwhile, will be making its season debut and hopes to end its 14-year playoff drought. Both teams have playoff expectations, and this matchup should be a good early test for where they stand.
Sabres Preview – Dealing With Early Injuries
The Sabres start their new season with several lineup concerns. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is out with a lower-body injury, so Alex Lyon will likely get the start, backed up by Colten Ellis. Forwards Jordan Greenway and Carson Meyer remain sidelined, while defenseman Michael Kesselring will miss time as well. These absences put pressure on Buffalo’s depth right from the start.
Head coach Lindy Ruff enters his second year of his second stint with the franchise. Last season, the Sabres finished 12 points shy of a playoff spot, mainly due to inconsistent defense and penalty killing. Buffalo allowed 3.2 goals per game and ranked in the bottom third on special teams. Ruff emphasized defensive structure and accountability during training camp, hoping to tighten up those areas early in the season.
Buffalo’s offense centers around forwards Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, who combined for over 55 goals last season. Rasmus Dahlin continues to lead the blue line and drives the power play, while 2021 first-overall pick Owen Power adds size and puck-moving ability. Power’s status for the opener remains uncertain as he recovers from a minor injury, but if he plays, the Sabres’ defensive group becomes much stronger. Buffalo will also look to integrate new forward Josh Doan, who was acquired from Utah and should bring energy to the middle six lines.
The Sabres want to establish a faster, more physical style this year. They were 17-21-3 at home last season and need to be better on their own ice to compete in the Atlantic Division. Ruff said earlier this week, “We’ve got to make this building tough to play in again.” A win in the opener would help set that tone.
Rangers Preview – Looking for Early Offense
The Rangers began the season with a shutout loss to the Penguins and will look to bounce back quickly. Igor Shesterkin stopped 27 of 30 shots, but his teammates failed to give him any goal support. New York went 0-for-2 on the power play and didn’t create many second-chance opportunities in front of the net. New head coach Mike Sullivan, who joined the Rangers after ten seasons in Pittsburgh, said the team’s execution “wasn’t where it needs to be.”
Captain J.T. Miller said postgame that the group needs to generate more offense from their depth lines. The top unit of Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Chris Kreider combined for just four total shots. That line will be under pressure to produce early, especially against a Sabres team missing key defensive players. Panarin led the team with 94 points last season and remains the focal point of their power play.
Defensively, New York remains one of the strongest teams in the league. Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba anchor the top pairing, while K’Andre Miller adds mobility and physical play. The Rangers finished in the top ten last season in goals allowed per game and penalty kill percentage. That defensive structure should give them an advantage in a matchup where Buffalo may struggle to finish scoring chances.
The Rangers are also looking for more consistency from their young wingers. Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière are both expected to take bigger roles this season. Sullivan has already hinted at rotating line combinations to find chemistry. With Shesterkin in net, New York doesn’t need to score five goals a night, but finding early offensive rhythm will be key to improving from last season’s playoff exit.
Head-to-Head History
Buffalo and New York met four times last season, splitting the series 2-2. The most recent matchup came in February when the Sabres routed the Rangers 8-2 at home. Earlier in the year, New York had its own dominant performance, winning 6-1 in November. Over the last ten meetings, the series is even at five wins apiece, and eight of those games went over the total of six goals.
The Rangers have gone 5-3 in their last eight trips to Buffalo, while the Sabres have struggled early in recent seasons, going just 2-5 in their last seven home openers. Buffalo finished 44-38 against the puck line last season, while New York went 42-40. Historically, early-season games between these two tend to be tighter, with four of the last six being decided by two goals or fewer.
Betting Prediction
This matchup looks even on paper, but the Rangers have an edge in goal and overall depth. Buffalo’s injuries and uncertainty in net could make it difficult to contain New York’s top forwards for a full 60 minutes. Expect the Rangers to come out focused after being shut out in their opener. A more disciplined power play and strong goaltending from Shesterkin should make the difference.
Buffalo should keep it competitive early with their top line creating chances, but lack of scoring depth and defensive lapses could hurt them late. The Sabres were one of the most inconsistent home teams in 2024-25, and that trend may continue until they get healthier. The Rangers’ defense should control pace and limit Buffalo’s shots on goal.
Projected score: Rangers 3, Sabres 2. The Under 6 is worth a look, as both teams are still settling into rhythm offensively. Shesterkin’s presence gives New York a strong edge in low-scoring games. Expect the Rangers to grab their first win of the season and Buffalo to remain competitive but fall short in the third period.
Pick: Rangers -115 | Under 6 (-110)
