Avalanche vs Sabres Game Overview
COL vs BUFRecords
Head-To-HeadLast 10
Win / Loss
8-2
Over / Under
5-5-0
| Date | Home | Result | ML | O/U | HSOG | ASOG | HPP | APP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 02, '25 | COL |
6 - 5 (OT)
|
COL -200 | o6.5 | 29 | 21 | 1-3 | 2-3 |
| Dec 03, '24 | BUF |
5 - 4
|
COL -148 | o6.0 | 30 | 41 | 0-3 | 0-1 |
| Dec 13, '23 | COL |
5 - 1
|
COL -184 | u7.0 | 29 | 30 | 1-2 | 0-2 |
| Oct 29, '23 | BUF |
4 - 0
|
BUF +171 | u6.5 | 29 | 23 | 0-3 | 0-6 |
| Dec 15, '22 | COL |
4 - 2
|
BUF +154 | u6.5 | 41 | 21 | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Dec 01, '22 | BUF |
6 - 4
|
COL -170 | o6.5 | 28 | 34 | 2-7 | 3-6 |
| Feb 19, '22 | BUF |
5 - 3
|
COL -409 | o6.0 | 32 | 36 | 0-1 | 0-2 |
| Jan 30, '22 | COL |
4 - 1
|
COL -576 | u6.5 | 36 | 31 | 1-4 | 0-4 |
| Feb 26, '20 | COL |
3 - 2
|
COL -199 | u6.0 | 34 | 33 | 2-3 | 0-2 |
| Feb 04, '20 | BUF |
6 - 1
|
COL -178 | o6.0 | 24 | 27 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
COL vs BUF Preview
Last Meeting ( Jan 2, 2025 ) Buffalo 5, Colorado 6
The Buffalo Sabres are out to avoid their second consecutive 0-3 start as they host the Colorado Avalanche for a Monday afternoon contest.
Buffalo, which has the league's worst goal differential at minus-6, comes off a 3-1 loss Saturday that left coach Lindy Ruff highly displeased with his team.
On Saturday, the Sabres fell behind the host Boston Bruins 2-0 after two periods. Jason Zucker scored the team's first goal of the season midway through the third, but it failed on four power-play chances.
"I thought our compete was terrible," Ruff said. "Worst competing, skating, moving feet that I've seen."
Asked to explain further, he called out his team's play away from the puck.
"I thought we played some one-on-one hockey," Ruff added. "We didn't move our feet. We didn't win races for the puck."
Now, the team that shares the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports with the NFL's New York Jets (14 seasons), faces the Avalanche, one of the top teams in the NHL.
Colorado is coming off its first loss of the season, a 5-4 shootout defeat Saturday to the Dallas Stars in Denver. The Avalanche played catch-up for most of the game as they were down 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3 before Nathan MacKinnon's power-play goal with 9:14 left in the third forced overtime and gave the hosts a point.
Colorado coach Jared Bednar called the loss the Avalanche's "most dangerous offensive game of the year, by a mile." He especially liked the play of his top line of MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas. All three found the back of the net Saturday, with MacKinnon and Necas both adding two assists.
While MacKinnon and Necas played together for a third of last season after the Avalanche traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Panthers for Necas, there's still a feeling-out process between the forwards. Bednar noted that both skaters were "bumping into each other all over the ice" after Necas first arrived.
"They want to go to the same spots," he added. "So, it's awareness, recognition and being flexible in where you want to go. I think Marty will learn that. I think Nate's learning that, showing up in different areas of the ice, getting dangerous, both five-on-five and on the power play."
Monday's holiday afternoon game could be the first time either team goes to its backup goalie for a start. In Buffalo, which plays Ottawa on Wednesday night, that would be Colten Ellis.
The 25-year-old Ellis has yet to play in the NHL and was set to start the season with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds before the Sabres claimed him off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.
That was necessary after Buffalo placed projected starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on injured reserve before the season with a lower-body injury. Alex Lyon has started both games, and the 32-year-old has posted a 2.55 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.
For Colorado, Scott Wedgewood has started all three games and posted a 1.95 GAA and .925 save percentage. Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood (lower-body injury) won't join the team on the two-game road trip that concludes Thursday in Columbus.
If Wedgewood does not start, that would put Trent Miner in net. Miner, 24, played in two games last season, starting one, for Colorado. He saved 29 of 33 shots (.879) and recorded a 2.62 GAA.
--Field Level Media
COL vs BUFInjury report
Colorado's Injuries
| Player | POS | Status | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Necas | C | Day To Day - Lower Body( Jan 30, '26) | Jan 30, '26 | |
| Necas (lower body) won't play against Detroit on Saturday, Aarif Dean of Colorado Hockey Now reports. | ||||
| D. Toews | D | Day To Day - Upper-Body( Jan 30, '26) | Jan 30, '26 | |
| Toews (upper body) won't play against Detroit on Saturday, per the NHL media site. | ||||
| G. Landeskog | LW | Out - Upper-Body( Jan 20, '26) | Jan 20, '26 | |
| The Avalanche said on Wednesday (Jan. 21) that Landeskog still has a long way before he can return to game-action. | ||||
| L. O'Connor | RW | Out - Hip( Dec 11, '25) | Dec 11, '25 | |
| The Avalanche said on Friday (Dec. 12) that O'Connor is still at least a week or two from returning to the lineup, though it could be longer, according to Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. | ||||
Buffalo's Injuries
| Player | POS | Status | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Greenway | LW | Day To Day - Lower-body( Jan 30, '26) | Jan 30, '26 | |
| Greenway (abdomen) will be a game-time decision against Montreal on Saturday, according to Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. | ||||
| U. Luukkonen | G | Out - Lower Body( Jan 28, '26) | Jan 28, '26 | |
| The Sabres said on Thursday (Jan. 29) that Luukkonen is expected to miss about a week, according to head coach Lindy Ruff, per Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. | ||||
| J. Norris | C | Day To Day - Ribs( Jan 27, '26) | Jan 27, '26 | |
| The Sabres said on Wednesday (Jan. 28) that Norris is day-to-day by head coach Lindy Ruff, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports Monday, but won't play this week, per Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. | ||||
| J. Danforth | RW | Out - Lower Body( Jan 25, '26) | Jan 25, '26 | |
| The Buffalo Sabres said on Monday (Jan. 26) that Danforth is trending toward a post-Olympic return to action, per Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. | ||||
| J. Bryson | D | Out - Upper-body( Jan 22, '26) | Jan 22, '26 | |
| The Sabres placed D Jacob Bryson on injured reserve on Friday (Jan. 23). | ||||
| J. Dunne | C | Out - Middle-body( Jan 14, '26) | Jan 14, '26 | |
| The Buffalo Sabres placed F Josh Dunne on injured reserve on Thursday (Jan. 15) | ||||
| C. Timmins | D | Out - Leg( Dec 19, '25) | Dec 19, '25 | |
| The Buffalo Sabres placed D Conor Timmins on Injured Reserve on Saturday (Dec. 20). | ||||
| J. Kulich | C | Out - Ear( Nov 09, '25) | Nov 09, '25 | |
| The Sabres said on Monday (Nov. 10) that Kulich is slated to miss significant time due to a blood clot issue. | ||||
GoaltendersLast 5
W/L
2-2-0-1
GAA
1.83
Save %
.909
| Date | Score | W/L | GA | SA | SV% | SO | ML | O/U | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.Wedgewood | Oct 11, 2025 | COL 4 - DAL 5 (SO) | - | 4 | 22 | .818 | - | L -138 | o6.5 |
| S.Wedgewood | Oct 9, 2025 | COL 2 - UTAH 1 | W | 1 | 33 | .970 | - | W -194 | u6.5 |
| S.Wedgewood | Oct 7, 2025 | LA 1 - COL 4 | W | 1 | 25 | .960 | - | W -113 | u5.5 |
| S.Wedgewood | Oct 4, 2025 | DAL 3 - COL 2 | - | 2 | 13 | .846 | - | L +205 | u5.5 |
| T.Miner | Oct 4, 2025 | DAL 3 - COL 2 | L | 1 | 13 | .923 | - | L +205 | u5.5 |
| S.Wedgewood | Oct 1, 2025 | VEG 2 - COL 1 | L | 2 | 32 | .938 | - | L -115 | u5.5 |
W/L
1-3-1-0
GAA
2.29
Save %
.875
| Date | Score | W/L | GA | SA | SV% | SO | ML | O/U | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.Lyon | Oct 11, 2025 | BOS 3 - BUF 1 | L | 2 | 30 | .933 | - | L -102 | u5.5 |
| A.Lyon | Oct 9, 2025 | BUF 0 - NYR 4 | L | 3 | 32 | .906 | - | L +100 | u6.5 |
| A.Lyon | Oct 3, 2025 | PIT 5 - BUF 4 (OT) | - | 2 | 13 | .846 | - | L -115 | o6.5 |
| A.Georgiev | Oct 3, 2025 | PIT 5 - BUF 4 (OT) | - | 3 | 17 | .824 | - | L -115 | o6.5 |
| U.Luukkonen | Oct 1, 2025 | BUF 3 - PIT 5 | - | 1 | 12 | .917 | - | L -250 | o6.5 |
| A.Georgiev | Oct 1, 2025 | BUF 3 - PIT 5 | L | 3 | 13 | .769 | - | L -250 | o6.5 |
| A.Lyon | Sep 27, 2025 | BUF 5 - DET 2 | W | 2 | 28 | .929 | - | W -185 | o6.5 |
COL vs BUFStats
Offense vs Defense
Goals
| OFFENSE |
Stat | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|
| 3.33 | Total | 3.50 |
| 0.33 | 1st Period | 1.00 |
| 1.67 | 2nd Period | 0.50 |
| 1.33 | 3rd Period | 2.00 |
| 0.00 | OT | 0.00 |
Shots
| OFFENSE |
Stat | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|
| 29.67 | Total | 32.00 |
| 11.67 | 1st Period | 16.50 |
| 7.67 | 2nd Period | 7.00 |
| 10.00 | 3rd Period | 8.50 |
| 0.33 | OT | 0.00 |
Shot Pct vs. Save Pct
| SHOOTING |
Stat | SAVE PCT. |
|---|---|---|
| 0.11 | Total | 0.89 |
| 0.03 | 1st Period | 0.94 |
| 0.22 | 2nd Period | 0.93 |
| 0.13 | 3rd Period | 0.76 |
| 0.00 | OT | 0.00 |
Power Play vs Penalty Kill
| POWERPLAY |
Stat | PENALTY KILL |
|---|---|---|
| 3 - 15 | G/Att vs. GA/Att | 0 - 7 |
| 20.00 | PP % vs. PK % | 100.00 |
Goaltenders
| Colorado Goaltenders |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | S | SV | SV% | WL | ||
| Mackenzie Blackwood | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0-0-0 | ||
| Scott Wedgewood | 80 | 74 | 0.925 | 2-0-1 | ||