Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres NHL Predictions
2025-02-04 • KeyBank Center
Buffalo Sabres 3 - 2 Columbus Blue Jackets
📊 Pre-Game Predictions
Win Probability
BUF: 57.8%
CBJ: 42.2%
Expected Goals
BUF: 3.28
CBJ: 2.92
Total Goals
Median: 6.1
Over 5.5: 59%
Over 6.5: 44%
🥅 Goalie Matchup
BUF
James Reimer - 10-10-2 | 0.896 SV% | 3.04 GAA
CBJ
Elvis Merzlikins - 6-6-1 | 0.877 SV% | 4.04 GAA
| Stat | BUF | CBJ |
|---|---|---|
| Season SV% | 0.896 | 0.877 |
| Last 5 SV% | — | — |
| SV% vs Opponent | — | — |
| GAA | 3.04 | 4.04 |
Last 5 / vs opponent shown when available in goalie stats. Confirmed goalie row used when available; otherwise current projected starter is shown.
Goalie Game Metrics
| Team | Goalie | SA | Saves | GA | SV% | xGA | HD Faced | GSAx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | James Reimer | 29 | 27 | 2 | 93.1% | 1.81 | 0 | -0.19 |
| CBJ | Elvis Merzlikins | 21 | 18 | 3 | 85.7% | 2.56 | 1 | -0.44 |
SA uses shots on goal plus goals. xGA, high-danger faced, and GSAx use modeled scoring attempts against. GSAx is xGA minus goals against.
Head-to-Head History
Model accuracy in this matchup: 56% • BUF at home vs CBJ: 3-2
| Date | Score | Winner | Model Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | BUF 5 - 0 CBJ | BUF | BUF |
| 2026-01-03 | CBJ 5 - 1 BUF | CBJ | BUF |
| 2025-10-28 | BUF 3 - 4 CBJ | CBJ | BUF |
| 2025-04-10 | CBJ 3 - 2 BUF | CBJ | BUF |
| 2025-02-04 | BUF 3 - 2 CBJ | BUF | BUF |
Shot Quality by Period
| Period | Team | Shots | High Danger | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUF | 13 | 0 | 0.62 |
| 1 | CBJ | 18 | 0 | 0.54 |
| 2 | BUF | 19 | 0 | 1.15 |
| 2 | CBJ | 11 | 0 | 0.52 |
| 3 | BUF | 4 | 1 | 0.78 |
| 3 | CBJ | 13 | 0 | 0.75 |
Shots are modeled attempts: shots on goal, goals, and missed shots. Blocked shots are excluded. High danger is xG >= 0.20.
📈 Post-Game Analysis
Prediction Result
✅ Correct
Confidence: 57.8%
Total Goals
Actual: 5.0
Expected: 6.2
Score Breakdown
Buffalo Sabres 3 - 2 Columbus Blue Jackets
Expected: 3.3 - 2.9
Like this analysis? Get it daily.
Short, data-driven emails. Unsubscribe any time.