Sabres at Blue Jackets | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

COLUMBUS – Today, they go for franchise history.

The Buffalo Sabres will look to extend their winning streak to 11 games when they meet the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon at Nationwide Arena in the finale of their three-game road trip.

The Sabres have won 10 straight games on three prior occasions in their 56-year existence: 1984, 2006 and 2018. Each time, the streak stopped there. A win today would give the 2025-26 team sole possession of the franchise record and also break a tie with Colorado for the longest streak in the NHL this season.

It’s also yet another important game in the tightly congested Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets – though last in the conference – are above .500 and sit just six points out of a playoff spot.

The Sabres are currently all alone in the second wild-card spot, having held the position with Florida’s loss in the Winter Classic on Friday.

The puck drops at 3 p.m. Here’s what you need to know in the meantime.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 2:30 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 (1:40 p.m.)

Defenseman Michael Kesselring will be out with a lower-body injury, which he sustained during the win in Dallas on Saturday. Jacob Bryson is expected to draw back into the lineup in his place.

Kekäläinen returns to Columbus

Today will mark Jarmo Kekäläinen’s first game as general manager against the Blue Jackets, where he worked in the same role for 11 years from 2013 to 2024.

Kekäläinen led Columbus to five of the franchise’s six all-time playoff berths, including a franchise-record 108 points in 2016-17. That season, coincidentally, featured the longest winning streak in Blue Jackets history at 16 games.

Scouting the Blue Jackets

Columbus ended 2025 in disappointing fashion, with a 3-2 loss to New Jersey that saw the Devils score all of their goals in a 1:56 span early in the third period.

Still, the Blue Jackets controlled much of that game – they led 16-2 in high-danger scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. Plus, they’re likely to get a boost on Saturday with the expected return of defenseman Zach Werenski.

Werenski, who was named to Team USA on Friday alongside Tage Thompson, leads NHL defensemen with 14 goals and ranks second only to Cale Makar with 40 points. He’s missed the last four games with a lower-body injury.

The Blue Jackets previously won in Buffalo 4-3 on Oct. 28 behind a pair of goals from Miles Wood, including the overtime winner. Wood, a Buffalo native, is currently out with an injury.