Los Angeles Kings at Buffalo Sabres
NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Buffalo Sabres on Jan 29, 2026. Final score: Los Angeles Kings 1, Buffalo Sabres 4.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Jan 29, 2026 |
| Venue | KeyBank Center |
| Los Angeles Kings 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 | Alex Tuch | R | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17:57 | 0.65 | 2.25 |
| 2nd | Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14:47 | 0.11 | 1.87 |
| 3rd | Ryan McLeod | C | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16:30 | 0.13 | 1.23 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Los Angeles Kings–Buffalo Sabres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 07:14 | BUF | Alex Tuch | Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn | 5v4 | 0–1 |
| 1st 11:17 | BUF | Mattias Samuelsson | Rasmus Dahlin, Jack Quinn | 5v5 | 0–2 |
| 2nd 06:29 | BUF | Alex Tuch | Bowen Byram, Zach Benson | 5v5 | 0–3 |
| 2nd 07:47 | LAK | Adrian Kempe | Kevin Fiala, Brandt Clarke | 4v5 | 1–3 |
| 3rd 19:00 | BUF | Alex Tuch | Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod | 5v6 | 1–4 |
Team Comparison
| Los Angeles Kings | Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 4 |
| Shots on goal | 38 | 32 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.97 | 2.47 |
| High-danger shots | 10 | 15 |
| Corsi % | 56.7% | 43.3% |
| Power play | 1/1 | 1/2 |
| Faceoff % | 37.5% | 62.5% |
| Hits | 30 | 9 |
| Blocks | 11 | 13 |
| Giveaways | 20 | 16 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 6 |
Los Angeles Kings Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Kempe | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 16:49 | 0.30 | 0.85 |
| Brandt Clarke | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21:04 | 0.21 | 0.74 |
| Kevin Fiala | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17:23 | 0.19 | 0.49 |
| Drew Doughty | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22:48 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Alex Laferriere | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 17:40 | 0.46 | 0.10 |
| Cody Ceci | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18:52 | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Joel Edmundson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17:53 | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Mikey Anderson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 19:30 | 0.39 | 0.10 |
| Brian Dumoulin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:15 | 0.03 | 0.10 |
| Taylor Ward | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11:48 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
| Trevor Moore | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16:14 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| Joel Armia | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16:47 | 0.12 | 0.05 |
| Andrei Kuzmenko | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:39 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Corey Perry | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15:27 | 0.27 | 0.00 |
| Warren Foegele | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:27 | 0.16 | -0.10 |
| Quinton Byfield | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:54 | 0.12 | -0.15 |
| Samuel Helenius | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:06 | 0.00 | -0.70 |
| Jeff Malott | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:39 | 0.11 | -0.75 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Tuch | R | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17:57 | 0.65 | 2.25 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14:47 | 0.11 | 1.87 |
| Ryan McLeod | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16:30 | 0.13 | 1.23 |
| Mattias Samuelsson | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23:24 | 0.03 | 0.70 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20:40 | 0.01 | 0.64 |
| Zach Benson | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18:26 | 0.21 | 0.64 |
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25:53 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| Tyson Kozak | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:45 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:27 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Zach Metsa | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:19 | 0.00 | 0.15 |
| Josh Doan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:32 | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22:24 | 0.19 | 0.00 |
| Konsta Helenius | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:07 | 0.09 | 0.00 |
| Noah Ostlund | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:58 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Jason Zucker | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:17 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Tage Thompson | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 18:04 | 0.49 | -0.10 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:29 | 0.06 | -0.70 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:50 | 0.10 | -1.05 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darcy Kuemper | Los Angeles Kings | 28 | 31 | 90.3% | -0.37 | L |
| Alex Lyon | Buffalo Sabres | 37 | 38 | 97.4% | 2.46 | W |
Analysis
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4–1 on Jan 29, 2026.
Buffalo Sabres generated 2.47 expected goals to Los Angeles Kings's 2.97 — Los Angeles Kings owned the better of the chances but Buffalo Sabres took the game, the kind of split that usually means finishing or goaltending decided it.
Alex Tuch led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.25 on 3 goals, 7 shots on goal.
Alex Lyon stopped 37 of 38, worth 2.46 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Los Angeles Kings vs Buffalo Sabres game?
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Los Angeles Kings 4–1 on Jan 29, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Buffalo Sabres 4, Los Angeles Kings 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Alex Tuch led all skaters at 2.25, on 3G, 0A and 7 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Buffalo Sabres generated 2.47 expected goals and Los Angeles Kings generated 2.97, so Los Angeles Kings created the better chances. The scoreboard went the other way, which points to finishing or goaltending.
What were the shot totals?
Los Angeles Kings put 38 shots on goal and Buffalo Sabres put 32. High-danger chances went 10 to 15.
How did the goaltenders play?
Darcy Kuemper stopped 28 of 31 (-0.37 goals saved above expected); Alex Lyon stopped 37 of 38 (2.46 goals saved above expected).