- Matchup: Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Scheduled Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Venue: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL
- Broadcasting On: WXPX-TV
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The Buffalo Sabres (33-19-6) are set to visit Amalie Arena on Saturday, aiming to secure a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning (38-15-4).
Coming off a satisfying 2-1 win against the Devils, the Buffalo Sabres are feeling optimistic. In that game, they spent 9 minutes in the penalty box and had 3 chances on the power play, though they couldn’t capitalize on them. Overall, their offensive output was below average, managing to score on just 2 of the 30 shots they took.
Defensively, the Sabres’ opponents have secured 156 power play opportunities this season (ranked 27th in the league) and scored 27 goals during those chances. Buffalo has faced 1,741 shots against, maintaining a save percentage of .898. On the offensive side, they’ve recorded 1,605 shots with a shooting percentage of 12.1%. While at even strength, they’ve allowed 150 goals while scoring 160. With 172 power play chances, they’ve tallied 34 goals during those, achieving a rate of 19.77%. The Sabres sit with 72 points this season, leading to a points percentage of .621, and they’ve scored a total of 194 goals (10th in the NHL), while allowing 177 goals.
In goal for this matchup will be Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Over his NHL career, he has faced 508 goals against him, maintaining an average of 2.95 goals against per game throughout 177 games. His save percentage is .899 across 8,267 minutes in the net. Luukkonen’s record stands at 83-72-17, with 172 starts and 93 quality starts, yielding a quality start percentage of .541. He has faced 5,020 shots and made 4,512 saves throughout his career.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, coming off a 5-4 loss to the Hurricanes, had 2 power play opportunities in that match but managed to convert only 1. They scored 4 goals out of 28 shots on goal.
Tampa Bay has taken 1,612 shots (ranked 19th in professional hockey) with a shooting percentage of 12.59%, while allowing 1,516 shots against them. They currently hold an impressive penalty kill percentage of 83.15% against 178 power play opportunities faced, with a save percentage of 90.4%. With 180 power play attempts, they have scored 22.22% of the time, accumulating 163 goals at even strength and 40 on the power play (10th in the NHL). Defensively, they’ve allowed a total of 145 goals—115 at even strength and 30 while short-handed. This season, the Lightning has recorded 203 goals and currently boasts 80 points with a points percentage of .702.
In goal for Tampa Bay, you’ll likely see Andrei Vasilevskiy. Boasting a career record of 359-170-38, Vasilevskiy has participated in 578 games, achieving a quality start percentage of 58.8% with 334 quality starts. He has made 15,685 saves out of 17,100 shots faced, holding a save percentage of .917. His opponents average 2.49 goals per contest, with 1,415 total goals allowed. He has been the starting goalie in 568 games and has logged 28,715 minutes on the ice.
Which team will emerge victorious in tonight’s NHL matchup against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Choose Buffalo
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