Dylan Cozens faces former team | Sabres vs. Senators: How to watch, and major storylines

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 25, 2025, 21:28 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Dylan Cozens returns to Buffalo for the first time since being traded to the Ottawa Senators. Buffalo Sabres, who have won both prior matchups against the Senators this season, seek to continue their dominance. The game will highlight key players like JJ Peterka, Rasmus Dahlin, and Brady Tkachuk.

Dylan Cozens faces former team | Sabres vs. Senators: How to watch, and major storylines

(Image via Getty)

Dylan Cozens returns to Buffalo tonight for the first time since being traded to the Ottawa Senators on March 7. The Sabres and Senators meet at KeyBank Center for their third matchup this season. Buffalo has won both previous meetings, outscoring Ottawa 9-1. Puck drops at 7 pm ET.
Here's what you need to know ahead of tonight’s matchup:

How to watch Sabres vs. Senators

Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Time: 7 pm ET
Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG (Buffalo market; Pregame at 6:30 pm ET)
Streaming: ESPN+ (Out-of-market)
Radio: WGR 550

Sabres lineup notes and injury updates

Jiri Kulich skated at today’s morning practice and "could" return to the lineup tonight, but head coach Lindy Ruff hasn’t confirmed his status yet.
Sam Lafferty (groin) and Jordan Greenway (lower body) remain sidelined and are day-to-day.
James Reimer skated in the starter’s net and is expected to start tonight’s game.

Projected Sabres lineup (morning skate):

Forwards:
Zach Benson – Jiri Kulich – Tage Thompson
Jason Zucker – Peyton Krebs – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak – Isak Rosen
Defensemen:
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Jacob Bernard-Docker
Bowen Byram – Connor Clifton
Jacob Bryson
Goalies:
James Reimer, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Senators recent form and key players to watch

Ottawa has momentum, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games and currently holds the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 70 points (20 goals, 50 assists), and Brady Tkachuk leads in goals with 28.
Last game, the Senators edged the New Jersey Devils 3-2, with goals from Brady Tkachuk, David Perron, and Drake Batherson. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves (.926 SV%).

Sabres coming off big road win in Winnipeg

Buffalo wrapped their four-game road trip with a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, snapping Winnipeg’s eight-game home point streak. Tyson Kozak and goalie James Reimer, both Manitoba natives, were key. Kozak had a timely power-play goal, and Reimer made multiple critical saves.

JJ Peterka’s scoring streak continues for Buffalo Sabres

JJ Peterka has scored goals in three consecutive games since returning from injury. He opened scoring Sunday against Winnipeg, tallying his 23rd goal of the season. Peterka now has career highs in assists (31) and points (54) through 64 games.

Dylan Cozens returns to Buffalo after March 7 trade

Tonight marks Dylan Cozens’ first game in Buffalo since the Senators acquired him and defenseman Dennis Gilbert, sending forward Josh Norris, defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, and a 2026 second-round pick to the Sabres.
Cozens has quickly settled into his role with Ottawa, scoring seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in eight games. Norris, after a strong start with Buffalo (two points in three games), has missed five games due to injury. Bernard-Docker debuted for Buffalo on Saturday, then provided two assists in Sunday’s victory over Winnipeg.

Ryan McLeod and Rasmus Dahlin key vs. Senators this season

Sabres forward Ryan McLeod has been productive lately, recording 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) over his last nine games, including a four-point effort Sunday. He leads all skaters in the season series vs. Ottawa (1 goal, 4 assists).
Rasmus Dahlin has been consistent against the Senators, registering seven assists in his last seven games against Ottawa.

Sabres vs. Senators: Stats breakdown

Stat	Senators (Rank)	Sabres (Rank)
Goals per game	2.91 (20th)	3.10 (12th)
Goals allowed/game	2.87 (12th)	3.52 (29th)
Shots per game	29.2 (7th)	27.6 (20th)
Shots allowed/game	28.4 (16th)	28.8 (21st)
Power play %	23.66% (12th)	18.00% (26th)
Penalty kill %	77.00% (19th)	76.92% (20th)

Sabres top performers entering tonight’s matchup

Tage Thompson: 34 goals, 26 assists
Alex Tuch: 26 goals, 24 assists
JJ Peterka: 23 goals, 31 assists
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (G): 23-22-4, .888 SV%, 154 goals against

Senators top performers entering tonight’s matchup

Brady Tkachuk: 28 goals, 24 assists
Drake Batherson: 20 goals, 36 assists
Tim Stutzle: 20 goals, 50 assists
Linus Ullmark (G): 19-13-3, .907 SV%, 95 goals against

Senators seek first win vs. Sabres this season

The Senators lost both previous matchups with Buffalo—5-1 on November 5, and 4-0 on January 9. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has stopped 72 of 73 shots (.986 SV%) in those games. Ottawa looks to reverse this trend tonight and keep pace in the playoff race.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, and IPL live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Find out how to watch IPL 2025 in Canada and the USA.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article