Sabres 4, Maple Leafs 3 (SO)
TORONTO -- Sam Reinhart scored the shootout winner as the Buffalo Sabres edged the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Monday night at Air Canada Centre.
Buffalo has won both meetings between the two clubs this season.
Mark Pysyk, Jack Eichel and Evander Kane had the other Buffalo goals while Chad Johnson made 30 saves to improve to 3-0-1 all-time against the Leafs.
Leo Komarov, Brad Boyes and Zach Hyman responded with goals for Toronto (21-33-11). Garret Sparks stopped 23 shots in the loss.
Buffalo (27-31-9) entered Monday's contest 1-6-3 in its last 10 visits to Toronto.
The Sabres trailed 3-1 heading into the third period, but managed to tie the game on a pair of turnovers from Leafs defensemen.
Eichel pulled the Sabres to within one with 12:39 remaining in the third, capitalizing on a Frank Corrado turnover and beating Sparks for his 20th goal.
Reinhart picked the pocket of Morgan Rielly to set up Kane for his 19th at 10:41 of the third.
Komarov opened the scoring 25 seconds in, putting home a feed from Nikita Soshnikov for his team-leading 19th goal of the season.
Boyes gave Toronto a 2-0 lead on a power play at 11:05 of the opening period, as his pass attempt was re-directed off of Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe past Johnson for his eighth of the season.
Kane set up Pysyk to get the Sabres on the board at 16:23 of the second. Pysyk initially directed the pass on goal with his skate, but put home his own rebound for his first goal of the season. The play was reviewed and deemed a good goal as it just barely crossed the goal line.
Hyman restored the Leafs' two-goal lead with 18.2 seconds remaining in the second as he put home his own rebound for his first career NHL goal.
The two clubs meet again on March 19 and then again on March 31 to conclude the season series.
NOTES: LW Milan Michalek (fractured finger) made his Maple Leafs debut on Monday. The 31-year-old was acquired from the Ottawa Senators as part of the Dion Phaneuf trade on Feb. 9. ... RW Brad Boyes retuned to the Maple Leafs lineup after missing two games with an upper body injury. ... RW P.A. Parenteau missed his fifth game due to muscle spasms. ... D Cody Franson missed his eighth game due to a neck injury. ... The Sabres return home to play host to the Rangers on Tuesday. ... Toronto concludes its four-game home stand on Wednesday against the Islanders.