St. Louis Blues @ Buffalo Sabres Game Thread – November 6th, 2025

📰 Game Thread – Sabres vs. Blues

📅 Date: Tonight, 11-6-2025

🕢 Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

📍 Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY

🔍 Storylines to Watch:

• The Buffalo Sabres currently sit at 5-4-4, looking to convert close games into regulation wins.  
• The St. Louis Blues are off to a shaky start at 4-8-2, dealing with inconsistency and defensive lapses.  
• Buffalo’s inability to finish strong has become a theme—their last few games have been tightly contested.
• St. Louis will test Buffalo’s depth with their physical style and opportunistic counterattack.
• Home-ice matters: Buffalo will feed off the KeyBank crowd and hope to end a string of games decided after regulation.

📊 Key Players:

For Buffalo:

• Alex Tuch – Leading point-producer, providing offense and presence in key moments.
• Rasmus Dahlin – Heavy minutes, responsible for distribution and defensive coverage against rush plays.
• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – Expected starter; steadiness between the pipes could help the Sabres avoid late breakdowns.

For St. Louis:

• Robert Thomas – The Blues’ creative force, particularly dangerous on the power play.
• Jordan Kyrou – Lots of speed and skill; will challenge Buffalo’s transition defense.
• Joel Hofer – Goaltender under pressure; his performance could swing the outcome.

🚑 Injuries & Availability:

• Buffalo:  Zach Benson, Jason Zucker, and Jiri Kulich are all out. Alex Lyon and Jacob Bryson are scratches.
• St. Louis: Zach Dean and Jake Neighbours are out.

🎯 What to Watch Tonight:

• Finish in regulation – Buffalo wants to stop going to extra time and grab full two-point wins.
• Special teams matchup – Buffalo’s penalty kill has been elite; if their power play kicks in, they could gain an early edge.
• Neutral zone & transition speed – The Blues thrive on quick counters; Buffalo’s defense must stay sharp.
• Momentum & energy – A fast start from Buffalo could force St. Louis on their heels early.
• Goalie battle – Luukonnen vs. Hofer; rebound control, traffic in front, and composure under pressure will matter.

Stay tuned here for live updates, momentum swings, and post-game reactions as the Sabres aim to take advantage of home ice and push past a struggling Blues team for two big points tonight. 🟦💛🏒

1st Period:

20:00 – Sabres win the opening faceoff and the game is underway.

18:00 – Opening 2 minutes Buffalo has kept the pressure on in St Louis’s zone, getting 2 shots on net.

17:06 – Dahlin received a gorgeous pass from Mcleod but couldn’t find the back of the net.

15:00 – Opening 5 minutes have been solid. Buffalo has kept the puck in the offensive zone, made quality passes, and have had quality looks at net. Defensively they’ve played more physical and have mostly kept the puck away from UPL. If they keep this up Buffalo will take an early lead sooner rather than later.

13:39 – Josh Dunne and Tyler Tucker have dropped the gloves. That woke this crowd up! Dunne and Tucker both penalized 5 minutes for fighting.

10:00 – Halfway through the period and both teams are splitting possessions right now. Neither team has had a great look at the net since the fight took place.

8:43 – Josh Doan had the Sabres best look of the night thus far right in front of the net where he’s been lethal this year. Couldn’t put it in while he was being hooked by Cam Fowler. Fowler has been given 2 minutes for hooking. We will get our first look of the night at the Sabres Power Play.

7:44 – Doan had a phenomenal look in the blue paint, somehow Hofer stopped it.

7:22 – Mathieu Joseph scores a shorthanded goal for St. Louis on a breakaway. Really bad turnover by Jack Quinn. 1-0 St. Louis.

6:40- St. Louis’s Penalty Kill successfully stops the Buffalo Power Play.

4:05 – Neither team has had offensive continuity in quite some time. The game is being played between the blue lines right now.

0:00 – The period ends with Buffalo  in St. Louis’s zone, but alas they cannot convert. 1st quarter summary coming up.

1st Period Summary:

The period started out well, Buffalo was moving the puck and finding quality looks at net. After the Dunne, Tucker fight it felt like both teams just lost their rhythm. Quinn had an extremely ugly turnover that led to the lone goal of the period by St. Louis during the Sabres Power Play. On that goal it felt like UPL got a little too far out of net, was a tough situation with the breakaway but that’s one you’d like to see him stop. Fortunately, the Sabres have been a second period team all season and I anticipate they’ll come out of the locker room ready to play. Despite the offense having a hard time getting good possessions at the end of the period, St. Louis didn’t either. This is a team Buffalo should beat if they play to their ability.

 

2nd Period:

20:00 – The Blues have won the opening faceoff and the 2nd period is underway.

17:23 – St. Louis’s Nick Bjugstad scores on a deep slapshot from the left side. UPL was very out of position. 2-0 St. Louis leads.

16:22 – Bowen Byram has been penalized 2 minutes for tripping. We will get our first look at the St. Louis Power Play.

14:22 – Buffalo successfully kills the penalty.

10:00 – This has not been a pleasant period to watch. Buffalo has had maybe one quality shot on net. St. Louis hasn’t done much either, but they lead 2-0 so……….. As I say that Tuch gets a great look in front of the net. Maybe a sign of life?

8:00 – The last two minutes Buffalo has applied a fair amount of pressure. Something has lit a fire under this team.

6:08 – Jimmy Snuggerud has been given a 2 minute penalty for holding. We will get our second look at the Buffalo Power Play.

4:08 – Abysmal Power Play for Buffalo, only put up one shot.

0:00 – Thank goodness that period is over. Ugly, ugly, ugly for Buffalo. Boo birds escort them to the locker room.

2nd Period Summary: 

I don’t have much to say. Buffalo just flat out couldn’t get it going in the second period. The Power Play was awful to be blunt, puck movement wasn’t great, and Buffalo can’t find a way to get a goal against the team ranked 30th in goals allowed in the NHL. These guys have to wake up if they want any chance in the third period. The only saving grace is that the score is ONLY 2-0 despite playing awfully.

3rd Period:

20:00 – Sabres have won the faceoff and the third period is underway.

18:00 – Sabres have come out of the locker room with some fire this period.

17:56 – Alexandre Texier has been penalized 2 minutes for holding. We will get our third look at the Buffalo Power Play.

15:56 – Buffalo got some looks at net, but couldn’t convert. St. Louis’s penalty kill prevails for the third time this game.

15:12 – Jimmy Snuggerud scores for St. Louis. The goal is under review.

15:12 – The puck was confirmed kicked in, NO GOAL.

10:00 – Halfway through the period and Buffalo is controlling the puck, but just not putting shots on net.

5:00 – This is not ideal. Just not shooting the puck.