Sabres vs. Bruins | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

On Dec. 27, 2024, the Buffalo Sabres returned from Christmas in a dire situation. They’d just snapped a 13-game winless streak and found themselves 10 points out of a playoff spot.

This December has been a different story, as an 8-3-0 month has Buffalo only two points behind the second wild-card position.

The Sabres are riding a seven-game winning streak, their longest since November 2018, into a matchup with the Boston Bruins on Saturday at 7 p.m. at KeyBank Center.

“We have everyone contributing, we have everyone playing real good defense, we’re not giving up too much, and it’s winning hockey,” Alex Tuch said after Tuesday’s overtime win in Ottawa. “This is what we’ve been building towards, and this is the type of hockey we’re going to have to continue to play if we want to make a push.

“You see maturity. You see each individual sacrificing and just doing the right thing. I’m proud of this group. It’s been awesome to see.”

Goal prevention has been the biggest key to the streak. The Sabres allowed 3.55 goals per game through Dec. 8, when they last lost in Calgary. They’ve allowed three or fewer in every game during the streak, those 2.00 goals against per game ranking second in the NHL since Dec. 9.

Their .930 team save percentage also ranks second in that span, with Alex Lyon (6 wins) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1 win) both chipping in.

And they’re learning to win close games. Three of the last seven have needed extra time, and each has been decided by two goals or fewer. Compare that to earlier this season, when two trips to Boston – games winnable until the end – netted just one total point.

With how the teams are trending, the Sabres should fare better against the Bruins this time around. Here’s what you need to know before puck drop.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, ESPN+ (out of market)

Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App

More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games

Lineup notes

Coach Lindy Ruff said he expects Jason Zucker, out since before the winning streak with upper- and lower-body injuries, to return after the Christmas break. The forward hasn't practiced with the team since his Dec. 8 injuries, so his status remains uncertain.

• Injuries and transactions | Latest on Zucker, Kozak, Ellis, Timmins, others

The team has been off since Tuesday’s win, so check back during the 10:30 a.m. morning skate for potential updates on Zucker and the rest of the lineup.

Notable numbers

• Buffalo’s .667 points percentage at home (11-5-2) ranks fifth in the NHL.
• The Sabres are 6-2-2 against Atlantic Division opponents this season.
• Josh Norris has 10 points (4+6) in nine games since returning from injury.
• Rasmus Dahlin leads the team with 12 points (3+9) in December.
• Last season, 27 of Tuch’s 36 goals came after the Christmas break.
• Noah Ostlund is up to six goals this season, tied for 13th on the NHL rookie leaderboard.
• Mattias Samuelsson has averaged a team-leading 25:07 of ice time during the winning streak. He’s plus-six with three assists, 10 hits and 15 shot blocks in that span.

Scouting the Bruins

Boston (20-17-1) has one more point and two more games played than Buffalo, but it’s trending downward with a 1-4-1 record and 4.5 goals against per game in its last six.

The Bruins have been a leaky team, defensively, all season. Per Stathletes, they’ve allowed the second-most high-danger chances (2.92) and expected goals (3.18) per game in the league. Starting goalie Jeremy Swayman had been bailing them out, but he’s got an .868 save percentage and 3.49 goals-against average in nine December appearances.

The Bruins won the two early-season matchups at TD Garden, but KeyBank Center wasn’t kind to them in 2024-25, as Buffalo took those two games by a combined score of 13-5.

Don’t be surprised if some nastiness breaks out between Jordan Greenway (if he's in the lineup) and Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov. The two heavyweights fought in March, and Zadorov was itching for Round 2 on Oct. 30; Greenway, in his first game back from injury, didn’t take the bait.