Sabres at Stars | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

DALLAS – January 1984. October 2006. November 2018. Three times in their 55-year history, the Buffalo Sabres have won 10 consecutive games.

They can add to that list on Wednesday. Winners of nine straight, the Sabres take on the Dallas Stars at 8 p.m. EST at American Airlines Center.

The Sabres have trailed at some point, but never by more than one goal, in four of the nine games. They’ve led after 40 minutes in seven of them and allowed a last-minute, game-tying goal in two of them. Three have gone past regulation. No matter the flow of the game or the adversity they face, they’re finding a way to collect two points.

“We’re relentless right now, honestly,” forward Alex Tuch said after Monday’s 4-2 win in St. Louis. “It’s great to see. I don’t think our confidence has wavered one bit.”

That unwavering confidence is translating to results, and those results are creating quite the atmosphere around a team realizing what it’s capable of.

“It’s a pretty good vibe around here, eh? It’s awesome to be a part of, and we’re just looking to keep going here,” said Zach Benson, who’s scored three game-winning goals during the streak, most recently on Monday.

The 2024-25 Sabres won their 20th game on Jan. 31. This year’s club, having reached that threshold more than a month sooner, finds itself just one point out of a wild-card spot and five points back from the Atlantic Division leaders, the Detroit Red Wings.

Here’s what you need to know before the playoff-hungry Sabres wrap up a memorable December.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 7:30 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

Alex Lyon missed Tuesday’s practice with a lower-body sustained late in the Blues game; coach Lindy Ruff said the team will know more on Wednesday.

So, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start in net against the Stars. Luukkonen has earned two of the wins during the streak, stopping 47 of 49 shots against New Jersey and Boston for a .959 save percentage. He's also got a .914 save percentage in four career games versus Dallas.

Check back during the 12:30 p.m. EST morning skate for potential lineup updates from Dallas.

Notable numbers

• Benson’s three game-winning goals are tied for the team lead. He has four goals overall this season, all coming during the winning streak.
• Tuch, Josh Norris and Noah Ostlund have shared a line the last seven games, outscoring their opponents 6-1 at 5-on-5.
• Ostlund is up to seven goals, tied for 10th on the NHL rookie leaderboard.
• Owen Power has skated 40:13 at 5-on-5 between the last two games; during those minutes, Buffalo has controlled 76 percent of the shots on goal and 86 percent of the expected goals (Natural Stat Trick).
• Buffalo’s .929 team save percentage leads the NHL since Dec. 9 – the beginning of the streak.

Scouting the Stars

As detailed above, Dallas ranks near the top of the league in most major statistics, and its 57 points trail only Colorado. It’ll enter this game well rested, having not played since Saturday’s shootout loss to Chicago.

The Stars score a lot despite low shot volume, leading the NHL with a team shooting percentage of 13.8 – a testament to their elite scoring talent. Forward Jason Robertson, like Tuch and Tage Thompson a candidate for the U.S. Olympic roster, has 20 goals in his last 23 games, and Mikko Rantanen ranks fifth in the league with 54 points (15+39).

Their goaltending ranks among the NHL’s best, too. Jake Oettinger has gone 16-6-3 with a .910 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average, and he’s allowed three goals or fewer in 14 straight appearances dating back to early November. Backup Casey DeSmith is 9-1-4 with a .915 and 2.33.

The Sabres also played at Dallas on New Year’s Eve last season, losing 4-2.