The Buffalo Sabres visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, October 31, 2026, with puck drop set for 4:00 PM EDT.
Matchup: Buffalo Sabres (6-4-3, 15 points in 2026-27) at Los Angeles Kings (4-6-2, 10 points in 2026-27)
Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Puck drop: 4:00 PM EDT (1:00 PM PDT local)
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
How to watch: LAK: ABTV , SN1 · BUF: MSG-B
Buffalo Sabres News & Notes
Buffalo outlasted Anaheim 7-6 on Thursday behind a natural hat trick and five points from Tage Thompson, who also assisted on two others during a six-goal run that erased an early deficit. Peyton Krebs drew praise from teammates after a multi-point night on Thompson’s wing. The Ducks pushed late and closed within one, but the Sabres held on at Honda Center to extend the California portion of their road trip.
Los Angeles Kings News & Notes
Los Angeles beat Ottawa 6-5 in overtime Thursday at Crypto.com Arena, a game decided in the extra session and highlighted by contributions from Drew Doughty and Quinton Byfield under coach John Tortorella’s staff. The night was marred by a second-period hit from Senators forward Hayden Hodgson, who drove Brandt Clarke into the boards and was ejected for boarding. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended Hodgson two games, citing charging and boarding on the play.
The overtime result followed an in-season overhaul of how the Kings handle three-on-three play. The coaching staff has put a defined plan in place and made 3-on-3 situations a practice priority, an approach the team says is now showing up in games. Los Angeles continues its homestand Saturday afternoon against the Buffalo Sabres, a 1 p.m. start at Crypto.com Arena, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen expected in goal for Buffalo.
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines
Line 1: Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Zach Benson
Line 2: Josh Doan – Noah Ostlund – Jack Quinn
Line 3: Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Norris
Line 4: Tyson Kozak – Sam Carrick – Beck Malenstyn
Pair 1: Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Pair 2: Olen Zellweger – Owen Power
Pair 3: Dennis Gilbert – Louis Crevier
Goaltenders: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – Colten Ellis
Buffalo Sabres Special Teams
Power play, First unit: Jack Quinn – Zach Benson – Noah Ostlund – Tage Thompson – Rasmus Dahlin
Power play, Second unit: Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan – Owen Power – Josh Norris
Penalty kill, First unit: Ryan McLeod – Zach Benson – Mattias Samuelsson – Owen Power
Penalty kill, Second unit: Josh Norris – Beck Malenstyn – Dennis Gilbert – Olen Zellweger
Los Angeles Kings Projected Lines
Line 1: Artemi Panarin – Alex Laferriere – Adrian Kempe
Line 2: Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Corey Perry
Line 3: Andre Lee – Scott Laughton – Joel Armia
Line 4: Erik Haula – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward
Pair 1: Erik Gustafsson – Brandt Clarke
Pair 2: Joel Edmundson – Drew Doughty
Pair 3: Mikey Anderson – Brian Dumoulin
Goaltenders: Darcy Kuemper – Anton Forsberg
Los Angeles Kings Special Teams
Power play, First unit: Adrian Kempe – Quinton Byfield – Alex Laferriere – Artemi Panarin – Erik Gustafsson
Power play, Second unit: Corey Perry – Erik Haula – Trevor Moore – Drew Doughty – Brandt Clarke
Penalty kill, First unit: Scott Laughton – Trevor Moore – Joel Edmundson – Drew Doughty
Penalty kill, Second unit: Erik Haula – Joel Armia – Mikey Anderson – Brian Dumoulin
Players To Watch
Tage Thompson — Buffalo Sabres
Thompson is coming off a five-point night — three goals and two assists on four shots in just 17:49. Box Score Junkie has him at 57.3% Corsi-for this season with 67.2 shot attempts for per 60, and he’s converted nine goals on 6.1 expected, a +2.9 edge. An obvious anytime-scorer play.
Artemi Panarin — Los Angeles Kings
Panarin led all Kings skaters with seven shots last time out while logging 24:07 and posting a goal and an assist. That volume at that ice time makes him the first name to check on a shots-on-goal prop, especially with Fiala and Zuccarello both on injured reserve and the scoring load concentrated.
Injury Report
Buffalo Sabres
Justin Danforth (RW) — Injured Reserve, Upper Body, expected back Saturday, October 31
Konsta Helenius (C) — Out, Upper Body, expected back Wednesday, November 4
Jiri Kulich (C) — Out, Concussion, expected back Wednesday, November 4
Alex Lyon (G) — Injured Reserve, Upper Body, expected back Saturday, October 31
Matt Grzelcyk (D) — Injured Reserve, Lower Body, expected back Saturday, October 31
Conor Timmins (D) — Injured Reserve, Lower Body, expected back Friday, November 6
Jack Rathbone (D) — Injured Reserve, Undisclosed, expected back Sunday, November 8
Los Angeles Kings
Brandt Clarke (D) — Day-To-Day, Upper Body, expected back Saturday, October 31
Mats Zuccarello (RW) — Injured Reserve, Upper Body, expected back Tuesday, November 10
Kevin Fiala (LW) — Injured Reserve, Lower Leg, expected back Saturday, November 7
Alex Turcotte (C) — Injured Reserve, Undisclosed, expected back Saturday, October 31
Jakub Dvorak (D) — Injured Reserve, Upper Body, expected back Saturday, October 31
Jan Jenik (C) — Injured Reserve, Undisclosed, expected back Saturday, November 7
Betting Odds
Moneyline (DraftKings, as of October 31 at 4:10 AM ET): Buffalo Sabres -122, Los Angeles Kings +102.
Odds change through the day; check the sportsbook before betting. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Next Up
Buffalo Sabres: host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, November 4.
Los Angeles Kings: host the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, November 4.