Buffalo Sabres at Dallas Stars
NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars on Dec 31, 2025. Final score: Buffalo Sabres 4, Dallas Stars 1.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Dec 31, 2025 |
| Venue | American Airlines Center |
| Buffalo Sabres score | 4 |
| Dallas Stars score | 1 |
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 | Tage Thompson | C | 2 | 1 | 7 | 18:45 | 0.75 | 2.04 |
| 2nd | Bowen Byram | D | 1 | 1 | 2 | 24:36 | 0.34 | 1.64 |
| 3rd | Josh Doan | R | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15:27 | 0.51 | 1.44 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Buffalo Sabres–Dallas Stars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 00:15 | DAL | Mavrik Bourque | Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen | 5v5 | 0–1 |
| 2nd 07:44 | BUF | Josh Doan | Tage Thompson | 5v5 | 1–1 |
| 2nd 17:05 | BUF | Bowen Byram | Noah Ostlund, Alex Tuch | 5v5 | 2–1 |
| 3rd 09:21 | BUF | Tage Thompson | Josh Doan, Bowen Byram | 5v5 | 3–1 |
| 3rd 11:35 | BUF | Tage Thompson | Noah Ostlund, Owen Power | 5v5 | 4–1 |
Team Comparison
| Buffalo Sabres | Dallas Stars | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 1 |
| Shots on goal | 31 | 29 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.22 | 2.91 |
| High-danger shots | 15 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 55.1% | 44.9% |
| Power play | 0/2 | 0/2 |
| Faceoff % | 58.3% | 41.7% |
| Hits | 24 | 15 |
| Blocks | 9 | 12 |
| Giveaways | 13 | 12 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 3 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tage Thompson | C | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 18:45 | 0.75 | 2.04 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 24:36 | 0.34 | 1.64 |
| Josh Doan | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 15:27 | 0.51 | 1.44 |
| Noah Ostlund | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 12:56 | 0.01 | 1.23 |
| Alex Tuch | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18:21 | 0.03 | 0.69 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24:12 | 0.00 | 0.64 |
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:06 | 0.00 | 0.25 |
| Jordan Greenway | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:28 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:59 | 0.29 | 0.10 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:21 | 0.02 | 0.10 |
| Josh Dunne | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11:15 | 0.47 | 0.10 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:04 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Mattias Samuelsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22:56 | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| Zach Benson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:11 | 0.11 | 0.05 |
| Josh Norris | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:37 | 0.06 | 0.00 |
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 24:43 | 0.33 | -0.05 |
| Zach Metsa | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:28 | 0.02 | -0.05 |
| Ryan McLeod | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:35 | 0.04 | -0.10 |
Dallas Stars Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mavrik Bourque | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15:17 | 0.43 | 0.75 |
| Miro Heiskanen | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 24:50 | 0.15 | 0.69 |
| Jason Robertson | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 21:16 | 0.51 | 0.64 |
| Alexander Petrovic | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:27 | 0.08 | 0.25 |
| Nils Lundkvist | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:53 | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| Colin Blackwell | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12:33 | 0.39 | 0.10 |
| Sam Steel | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:17 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Ilya Lyubushkin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:37 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| Roope Hintz | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:32 | 0.28 | 0.05 |
| Thomas Harley | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22:58 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| Wyatt Johnston | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:59 | 0.25 | 0.05 |
| Justin Hryckowian | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:10 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Jamie Benn | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:27 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Mikko Rantanen | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:36 | 0.30 | 0.00 |
| Oskar Bäck | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:54 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Radek Faksa | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:33 | 0.22 | -0.05 |
| Esa Lindell | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22:58 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
| Matt Duchene | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:43 | 0.12 | -0.10 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | Buffalo Sabres | 28 | 29 | 96.6% | 1.88 | W |
| Casey DeSmith | Dallas Stars | 27 | 31 | 87.1% | -1.98 | L |
Analysis
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Dallas Stars 4–1 on Dec 31, 2025.
Dallas Stars generated 2.91 expected goals to Buffalo Sabres's 3.22 — 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.
Tage Thompson led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.04 on 2 goals, 1 assist, 7 shots on goal.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 of 29, worth 1.88 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Buffalo Sabres vs Dallas Stars game?
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Dallas Stars 4–1 on Dec 31, 2025.
What was the final score?
The final score was Buffalo Sabres 4, Dallas Stars 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Tage Thompson led all skaters at 2.04, on 2G, 1A and 7 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Dallas Stars generated 2.91 expected goals and Buffalo Sabres generated 3.22, so Buffalo Sabres created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Buffalo Sabres put 31 shots on goal and Dallas Stars put 29. High-danger chances went 15 to 13.
How did the goaltenders play?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 of 29 (1.88 goals saved above expected); Casey DeSmith stopped 27 of 31 (-1.98 goals saved above expected).