Kings vs. Sabres prediction: Buffalo favored to win Thursday's NHL matchup [1/29/2026]

The Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings will meet in the NHL at KeyBank Center on Thursday, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.

The championship matchup pairs two 14–3 teams coming off sharply contrasting conference title games, with New England advancing through a low-scoring, snow-filled AFC Championship win over Denver and Seattle earning its place after a 31–27 NFC Championship thriller against the Rams.

The clash also spotlights two offensive focal points, with Drake Maye guiding New England through a composed, run-focused AFC title performance and Jaxon Smith-Njigba entering as Seattle’s primary playmaker following a 153-yard, one-touchdown outing in the NFC Championship.

Based on updated simulation results, Dimers' advanced NHL model gives the Sabres a slight edge with a 53% win probability over the Kings.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Thursday's Kings vs. Sabres matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.

Kings vs. Sabres prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NHL game between the Kings and Sabres 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives the Sabres a 53% chance of beating the Kings.

According to our model, the Kings (+1.5) have a 68% chance of covering the puck line, while the over/under total of 5.5 goals has a 54% chance of going over.

Kings vs. Sabres odds

We have researched the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Kings	Sabres
Puck Line	+1.5 (-235)	-1.5 (+198)
Moneyline	+105	-125
Total	o5.5 (-114)	u5.5 (-105)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Kings vs. Sabres picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Puck Line	Sabres -1.5	+198
Moneyline	Kings	+105
Total	Over 5.5	-114

According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Over 5.5 total goals.

Kings vs. Sabres player props

Who will score a goal in Kings vs. Sabres?

According to our model, Tage Thompson is most likely to score an anytime goal in Kings vs. Sabres.

Our projections give Thompson a 38.7% chance of scoring a goal at KeyBank Center, while the star is an 8.0% chance of netting the first goal the game.

Anytime goal scorer predictions

Los Angeles Kings

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Adrian Kempe	31.7%
Kevin Fiala	29.0%
Alex Laferriere	25.6%
Quinton Byfield	24.5%
Andrei Kuzmenko	22.3%

Buffalo Sabres

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Tage Thompson	38.7%
Alex Tuch	30.5%
Jason Zucker	24.3%
Rasmus Dahlin	23.1%
Ryan McLeod	21.1%

First goal scorer predictions

Los Angeles Kings

Player	First Goal Probability
Adrian Kempe	6.1%
Alex Laferriere	5.3%
Kevin Fiala	5.2%
Quinton Byfield	4.5%
Andrei Kuzmenko	4.2%

Buffalo Sabres

Player	First Goal Probability
Tage Thompson	8.0%
Alex Tuch	6.4%
Jason Zucker	4.7%
Rasmus Dahlin	4.4%
Zach Benson	4.3%

Kings vs. Sabres game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's game between the Sabres and Kings at KeyBank Center is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: Los Angeles Kings vs. Buffalo Sabres
• Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: KeyBank Center

Conclusion

We predict the Sabres, with a 53% win probability, will likely beat the Kings on Thursday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Kings vs. Sabres insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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