Maple Leafs at Sabres
While All-Star center Auston Matthews (shoulder) could return to the lineup soon, another injury concern popped up Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs were edging Dallas 6-5 in a shootout. The Maple Leafs will be without No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen because of an upper-body injury when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.
Matthews (28, points, 50 points, 53 games) is practicing, but still considered day-to-day, after missing his seventh game and Andersen left Wednesday’s contest in the second period before Toronto won its franchise-record 11th straight home game. The Maple Leafs have lost four straight on the road (0-2-2) as they prepare to play their second game in 19 days against the Sabres, who have not played since Saturday when they lost to Vegas 2-1 in a shootout to start a six-game homestand. Buffalo has fallen to the bottom of the league with 56 points despite a 5-3-1 record over the last nine contests, and held a 1-0 lead on Vegas until the final five minutes. “I think we played well against one of the better teams,” Sabres goalie Robin Lehner told reporters. “. … It’s a 1-1 game, we lost in a shootout. That’s the unfortunate part, but there was a lot of good things (against Vegas).”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN 4 (Toronto), MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (41-22-7): James van Riemsdyk snapped a four-game point drought Wednesday with a hat trick to tie Matthews for first on the team with 28 goals while Nazem Kadri recorded his 27th and has four in his past four contests. Mitch Marner continue his scoring surge with two assists against Dallas and owns five of his team-leading 58 points in the last three games. Coach Mike Babcock told reporters after the game of Andersen’s injury, “it sure didn’t seem like much” as Curtis McElhinney (8-4-1) will get the start Thursday after stopping 13-of-15 shots Wednesday.
ABOUT THE SABRES (22-35-12): Leading scorer Jack Eichel (53 points), out since Feb. 10 with an ankle injury, is not expected to play Thursday but has been practicing and may be back soon. Center Ryan O’Reilly is the top active scorer (50 points) after registering a goal and five assists in the last seven contests while forward Sam Reinhart is next with five of his 38 points in a five-game span. Forward Justin Bailey made his first appearance with the Sabres since October on Saturday, after ankle and thumb injuries along with a stint in the minors, and scored against Vegas.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto F William Nylander was held to one shot Wednesday and has gone 12 games without a goal, with five assists in that span.
2. Buffalo recalled G Linus Ullmark from Rochester of the AHL and is expected to get some playing time down the stretch.
3. The Sabres have won three of the last five meetings, including a 5-3 victory on March 5.