The edge
+11wins for Sabres
52% Sabres · 44% Lightning · 4% ties
Lightning have closed the gap in the shootout era: 40-38 since 2005.
Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning Head-to-Head
Buffalo Sabres
Tampa Bay Lightning
Sabres lead Lightning65to54·5 ties
A virtually even rivalry in 124 all-time meetings; Lightning have narrowed the gap in the shootout era.
At a glance
Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning insights
Recent form
10-10last 20
Sabres on a 3-game streak
Sabres won 4-2 on Apr 6, 2026
Where it matters
0Stanley Cup Playoffs games
These teams have never met in the playoffs.
The story
Sabres built their historical edge pre-2005, winning 27 of 41 decided meetings (66%) (plus 5 ties). In the shootout era they are 38-40 against each other (49% Sabres). 5 historical ties live in the all-time ledger, all predating the 2005 shootout rule. Sabres currently hold a 3-game winning streak between the teams. Games average a 2.2-goal margin, with the largest blowout coming via Sabres' 6-goal win. The 2010s produced the deepest sample with 43 recorded meetings, more than any other decade in the series. Their first recorded meeting fell in 1992, so the rivalry has spanned 34 seasons of NHL history. Most recent result: Sabres won 4-2 on Apr 6, 2026. Through the 2020s Sabres have led 10-8 between the teams.
Win Percentage
65W
5T
54W
BUF
TBL
52%4%44%
Buffalo SabresTiesTampa Bay Lightning
Recent Games
Last 10 Games
| Date | Home | Away | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6, 2026 | BUF | TBL | 4–2 | BUF |
| Mar 8, 2026 | BUF | TBL | 8–7 | BUF |
| Feb 28, 2026 | TBL | BUF | 2–6 | BUF |
| Feb 3, 2026 | TBL | BUF | 4–3 | TBL |
| Apr 13, 2025 | TBL | BUF | 7–4 | TBL |
| Apr 5, 2025 | BUF | TBL | 3–2 | BUF |
| Mar 6, 2025 | TBL | BUF | 6–5 | TBL |
| Apr 15, 2024 | TBL | BUF | 2–4 | BUF |
| Feb 29, 2024 | TBL | BUF | 2–3 | BUF |
| Jan 20, 2024 | BUF | TBL | 1–3 | TBL |
Last Meeting
Apr 6, 2026Final
BUF
4
HOME
TBL
2
AWAY
Sabreswon by2goals
Sabres' 3rd straight in this series·Game 124 of all-time series
All-Time Record
Season Split & Biggest Wins
Regular season vs Stanley Cup Playoffs record, plus each team's largest margin of victory
Regular Season124 games · 5 ties
65
54
These teams have never met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Buffalo Sabres Biggest Win
7–1+6 goals
Mar 27, 2010
Tampa Bay Lightning Biggest Win
6–1+5 goals
Mar 19, 1995
Decade Breakdown
Click a decade to filter stats below
Season by Season
| Season ↓ | BUF ↕ | TBL ↕ | Games ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2024–25 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2023–24 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2022–23 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2021–22 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2019–20 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 2018–19 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2016–17 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 2015–16 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Matchup Insights
Home / Away Split
AWAY
33-27
BUF
AWAY
27-32
TBL
Streaks & Momentum
Current Streak
Buffalo Sabres: 3 consecutive wins
3
Avg. Margin of Victory
Games decided by 2.2 goals on average
2.2goals
Momentum (Last 10 vs All-Time)
BUF-Neutral
Last 1060%
All-Time54.6%
TBL-Neutral
Last 1040%
All-Time45.4%
Last 10 Results
BUF / TBL
Frequently Asked Questions: Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Methodology & Data Sources
Last updated
Every head-to-head page on SharkBetting is built from verified historical data, not generated prose. Regular-season and playoff game logs for the NHL are pulled from the official NHL api-web data service (coverage from 1917 onward). Coach matchups, arena history, and franchise lineage are cross-checked against hockey-reference.com. Award winners (Hart, Norris, Vezina, Conn Smythe) are sourced from league records and filtered to each franchise including historic relocations.
Stats are refreshed after every completed game day. If you spot an error, head to our contact page with the game date and we will verify against the source feeds.
Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning have played in the NHL since 1992.