Dallas Stars at Buffalo Sabres
NHL game between the Dallas Stars and the Buffalo Sabres on Apr 15, 2026. Final score: Dallas Stars 4, Buffalo Sabres 3.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Venue | KeyBank Center |
| Dallas Stars score | 4 |
| Buffalo Sabres score | 3 |
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 | Esa Lindell | D | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22:14 | 0.12 | 1.59 |
| 2nd | Justin Hryckowian | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17:18 | 0.28 | 1.54 |
| 3rd | Zach Benson | L | 1 | 1 | 3 | 24:22 | 0.45 | 1.44 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Dallas Stars–Buffalo Sabres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 02:19 | DAL | Mavrik Bourque | Esa Lindell, Ilya Lyubushkin | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 1st 12:48 | BUF | Josh Norris | Zach Benson, Owen Power | 5v5 | 1–1 |
| 2nd 03:32 | BUF | Zach Benson | Tyson Kozak | 4v5 | 1–2 |
| 2nd 04:24 | DAL | Esa Lindell | Jamie Benn, Justin Hryckowian | 4v5 | 2–2 |
| 2nd 11:09 | BUF | Alex Tuch | Tanner Pearson, Owen Power | 5v5 | 2–3 |
| 2nd 16:00 | DAL | Justin Hryckowian | — | 5v5 | 3–3 |
| P5 00:00 | BUF | Josh Norris | — | 1v0 | 3–3 |
| P5 00:00 | DAL | Jason Robertson | — | 0v1 | 3–3 |
| P5 00:00 | BUF | Jack Quinn | — | 1v0 | 3–3 |
| P5 00:00 | DAL | Matt Duchene | — | 0v1 | 3–3 |
| P5 00:00 | DAL | Wyatt Johnston | — | 0v1 | 3–3 |
Team Comparison
| Dallas Stars | Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 3 |
| Shots on goal | 28 | 24 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.43 | 4.13 |
| High-danger shots | 10 | 16 |
| Corsi % | 46.6% | 53.4% |
| Power play | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Faceoff % | 46.1% | 53.9% |
| Hits | 21 | 23 |
| Blocks | 14 | 14 |
| Giveaways | 11 | 13 |
| Takeaways | 8 | 4 |
Dallas Stars Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esa Lindell | D | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 22:14 | 0.12 | 1.59 |
| Justin Hryckowian | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 17:18 | 0.28 | 1.54 |
| Ilya Lyubushkin | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15:39 | 0.02 | 0.69 |
| Mavrik Bourque | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17:06 | 0.32 | 0.65 |
| Jamie Benn | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:46 | 0.00 | 0.64 |
| Adam Erne | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:23 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| Tyler Myers | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21:30 | 0.10 | 0.15 |
| Thomas Harley | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 22:45 | 0.06 | 0.15 |
| Lian Bichsel | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:37 | 0.04 | 0.15 |
| Radek Faksa | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13:09 | 0.58 | 0.10 |
| Wyatt Johnston | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18:11 | 0.34 | 0.10 |
| Matt Duchene | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:26 | 0.19 | 0.05 |
| Nils Lundkvist | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20:26 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Oskar Bäck | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:36 | 0.20 | 0.00 |
| Michael Bunting | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12:36 | 0.24 | 0.00 |
| Sam Steel | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:43 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Jason Robertson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:26 | 0.39 | 0.00 |
| Mikko Rantanen | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18:33 | 0.32 | -0.10 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Benson | L | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 24:22 | 0.45 | 1.44 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 22:17 | 0.01 | 1.38 |
| Josh Norris | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16:55 | 0.69 | 0.90 |
| Alex Tuch | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20:36 | 0.42 | 0.90 |
| Tyson Kozak | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:34 | 0.01 | 0.89 |
| Tanner Pearson | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17:04 | 0.24 | 0.69 |
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:59 | 0.10 | 0.30 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19:00 | 0.11 | 0.10 |
| Josh Dunne | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11:52 | 0.25 | 0.10 |
| Zach Metsa | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:43 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:03 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| Josh Doan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:57 | 0.64 | 0.00 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 19:29 | 0.91 | 0.00 |
| Luke Schenn | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:41 | 0.01 | -0.05 |
| Conor Timmins | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16:58 | 0.06 | -0.05 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:35 | 0.05 | -0.05 |
| Logan Stanley | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20:16 | 0.17 | -0.05 |
| Jordan Greenway | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:03 | 0.04 | -0.20 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Oettinger | Dallas Stars | 21 | 24 | 87.5% | -1.08 | W |
| Colten Ellis | Buffalo Sabres | 25 | 28 | 89.3% | -1.18 | O |
Analysis
The Dallas Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4–3 on Apr 15, 2026, a one-goal game.
Buffalo Sabres generated 4.13 expected goals to Dallas Stars's 3.43 — Buffalo Sabres owned the better of the chances but Dallas Stars took the game, the kind of split that usually means finishing or goaltending decided it.
Esa Lindell led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.59 on 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots on goal.
Jake Oettinger stopped 21 of 24, worth -1.08 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres game?
The Dallas Stars beat the Buffalo Sabres 4–3 on Apr 15, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Dallas Stars 4, Buffalo Sabres 3.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Esa Lindell led all skaters at 1.59, on 1G, 1A and 3 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Buffalo Sabres generated 4.13 expected goals and Dallas Stars generated 3.43, so Buffalo Sabres created the better chances. The scoreboard went the other way, which points to finishing or goaltending.
What were the shot totals?
Dallas Stars put 28 shots on goal and Buffalo Sabres put 24. High-danger chances went 10 to 16.
How did the goaltenders play?
Jake Oettinger stopped 21 of 24 (-1.08 goals saved above expected); Colten Ellis stopped 25 of 28 (-1.18 goals saved above expected).