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

The Buffalo Sabres make a brief stop at home before embarking on a road-heavy December schedule, hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Monday at KeyBank Center.

Following tonight’s game, the Sabres will depart for a six-game road trip that stretches across four time zones – including a rematch with the Jets in Winnipeg on Friday.

The Sabres have a chance to pull their season points percentage back to .500 with a win. They’re coming off a come-from-behind, shootout victory over the NHL’s hottest team in the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Here’s what you need to know.

• Tickets for tonight

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m.)

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

Streaming (Canada): Amazon Prime

Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App

More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games

Lineup notes (updated 11:30 a.m.)

Josh Norris took line rushes between Zach Benson and Tage Thompson during the morning skate, and he's expected to come off injured reserve to face Winnipeg. Norris, who last played in the Oct. 9 season opener, doesn't think he'll be limited in his return to the lineup.

"There’s no easing into coming back 25 games in, or whatever we are," he said. "It’s full go and I feel good. Just excited to get back."

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start in net.

Doan’s career mark

It came in untraditional fashion, but Josh Doan’s game-tying goal in Minnesota marked a new career-high for the 23-year-old. He has eight in 25 games this season, having already surpassed the total he scored in 51 games with Utah in 2024-25.

Doan’s goal against the Wild took an unconventional path to the net – off the glass, toward the net-front, and off the glove of forward Mats Zuccarello into the goal – but his total speaks to the consistency with which he’s played.

At 5-on-5, Doan leads Sabres players in shot attempts percentage (56.04) and scoring chances for percentage (56.62).

Scouting the Jets

The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners are currently sitting outside the Western Conference playoff picture, having lost four straight games prior to winning 5-2 in Nashville on Saturday.

Winnipeg boasts one of the game’s elite forward lines in Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi. That trio has been on the ice for 21 goals at 5-on-5, the second-best mark in the NHL according to Stathletes.

The Jets’ problem has been getting scoring from beyond their top players. Connor, Scheifele and Vilardi have combined to score 26 goals at even strength. The rest of the team has combined for 28.

Winnipeg is also missing three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, who is expected to miss four to six weeks as he recovers from knee surgery. Former Sabre Eric Comrie has seen the bulk of the action in the meantime, including a 20-save performance in the win over Nashville.

Pregame sound