Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres
NHL game between the Boston Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres on Dec 28, 2025. Final score: Boston Bruins 1, Buffalo Sabres 4.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Dec 28, 2025 |
| Venue | KeyBank Center |
| Boston Bruins score | 1 |
| Buffalo Sabres score | 4 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mattias Samuelsson | D | 1 | 2 | 2 | 24:56 | 0.03 | 2.28 |
| 2nd | Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16:28 | 0.25 | 1.59 |
| 3rd | Tage Thompson | C | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17:55 | 0.25 | 1.38 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Boston Bruins–Buffalo Sabres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 11:56 | BOS | David Pastrnak | Morgan Geekie | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 2nd 01:39 | BUF | Ryan McLeod | Jack Quinn, Mattias Samuelsson | 5v5 | 1–1 |
| 2nd 03:12 | BUF | Peyton Krebs | Tage Thompson, Mattias Samuelsson | 5v5 | 1–2 |
| 2nd 07:54 | BUF | Mattias Samuelsson | Jack Quinn, Bowen Byram | 5v5 | 1–3 |
| 3rd 19:46 | BUF | Josh Norris | Peyton Krebs, Tage Thompson | 5v6 | 1–4 |
Team Comparison
| Boston Bruins | Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 4 |
| Shots on goal | 23 | 34 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.56 | 2.79 |
| High-danger shots | 13 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 49.6% | 50.4% |
| Power play | 0/1 | 0/2 |
| Faceoff % | 57.7% | 42.3% |
| Hits | 27 | 18 |
| Blocks | 12 | 13 |
| Giveaways | 15 | 17 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 8 |
Boston Bruins Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Geekie | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20:28 | 0.10 | 0.74 |
| David Pastrnak | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20:33 | 0.37 | 0.70 |
| Charlie McAvoy | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24:22 | 0.24 | 0.30 |
| Fraser Minten | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:45 | 0.00 | 0.30 |
| Alex Steeves | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:02 | 0.08 | 0.25 |
| Mark Kastelic | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:50 | 0.09 | 0.15 |
| Nikita Zadorov | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20:02 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Pavel Zacha | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19:32 | 0.33 | 0.10 |
| Marat Khusnutdinov | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:36 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| Hampus Lindholm | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23:15 | 0.10 | 0.05 |
| Michael Eyssimont | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:58 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Casey Mittelstadt | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:42 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Elias Lindholm | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18:27 | 0.17 | 0.00 |
| Andrew Peeke | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:43 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Mason Lohrei | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:25 | 0.01 | -0.00 |
| Sean Kuraly | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11:59 | 0.25 | -0.05 |
| Vladislav Kolyachonok | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:36 | 0.04 | -0.05 |
| Viktor Arvidsson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:50 | 0.17 | -0.40 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattias Samuelsson | D | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 24:56 | 0.03 | 2.28 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16:28 | 0.25 | 1.59 |
| Tage Thompson | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17:55 | 0.25 | 1.38 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 15:13 | 0.14 | 1.28 |
| Ryan McLeod | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16:24 | 0.08 | 0.85 |
| Josh Norris | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16:21 | 0.82 | 0.80 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 27:52 | 0.08 | 0.64 |
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:10 | 0.00 | 0.35 |
| Josh Doan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:36 | 0.19 | 0.10 |
| Josh Dunne | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:06 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Alex Tuch | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18:31 | 0.36 | 0.05 |
| Zach Metsa | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:41 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Jacob Bryson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:14 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 15:46 | 0.08 | -0.05 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 25:29 | 0.26 | -0.05 |
| Zach Benson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:28 | 0.17 | -0.05 |
| Noah Ostlund | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16:01 | 0.43 | -0.05 |
| Jordan Greenway | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11:49 | 0.01 | -0.10 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joonas Korpisalo | Boston Bruins | 30 | 33 | 90.9% | -0.41 | L |
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | Buffalo Sabres | 22 | 23 | 95.7% | 1.70 | W |
Analysis
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Boston Bruins 4–1 on Dec 28, 2025.
Buffalo Sabres generated 2.79 expected goals to Boston Bruins's 2.56 — the run of play matched the result, with Buffalo Sabres earning the better chances as well as the goals; by expected goals it was close to a coin flip.
Mattias Samuelsson led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.28 on 1 goal, 2 assists, 2 shots on goal.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 of 23, worth 1.7 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres game?
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 4–1 on Dec 28, 2025.
What was the final score?
The final score was Buffalo Sabres 4, Boston Bruins 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Mattias Samuelsson led all skaters at 2.28, on 1G, 2A and 2 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Buffalo Sabres generated 2.79 expected goals and Boston Bruins generated 2.56, so Buffalo Sabres created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Boston Bruins put 23 shots on goal and Buffalo Sabres put 34. High-danger chances went 13 to 13.
How did the goaltenders play?
Joonas Korpisalo stopped 30 of 33 (-0.41 goals saved above expected); Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 of 23 (1.7 goals saved above expected).