Buffalo Sabres v Carolina Hurricanes, NHL

The big picture

Buffalo Sabres come in 26th on the ladder; Carolina Hurricanes are 1st. Carolina Hurricanes are the side higher up the table.

Buffalo Sabres are 8–8 in NHL 2026-27, averaging 3.1 goals for and 3.3 against.

Carolina Hurricanes are 13–5 in NHL 2026-27, averaging 3.8 goals for and 2.4 against.

Form

Buffalo Sabres have won four of their last five and most recently beat Columbus Blue Jackets 5–2.

Carolina Hurricanes have won four of their last five and most recently beat New York Islanders 5–3.

Head to head

These sides have met 88 times on our records since 1999: Buffalo Sabres 39, Carolina Hurricanes 48, 1 drawn.

Last time out (2025-26), Carolina Hurricanes won 2–1 at Lenovo Center.

Biggest margin between these two: Buffalo Sabres by 7 goals in 2007-08 (8–1).

Players to watch

For Buffalo Sabres, watch Tage Thompson (10 goals, 9 assists in 2026-27) and Jack Quinn (9 goals, 7 assists in 2026-27).

For Carolina Hurricanes, watch Logan Stankoven (11 goals, 6 assists in 2026-27) and Sebastian Aho (9 goals, 14 assists in 2026-27).

At KeyBank Center

Buffalo Sabres have won 10 of their last 22 at KeyBank Center.

The deeper numbers

Carolina Hurricanes haven't beaten Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center since 2022-23: 5 meetings there since then.

Carolina Hurricanes have lost their last 5 at KeyBank Center and haven't won there since 2022-23 (against Buffalo Sabres).

What the numbers say

On form, ladder and history, Carolina Hurricanes have the edge.