Sabres at Maple Leafs
The playoff-bound Toronto Maple Leafs look to even the season series at two wins apiece when they host the NHL-worst Buffalo Sabres on Monday in the fourth game between the rivals in 29 days. The Maple Leafs are locked into the third spot in the Atlantic Division after Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Winnipeg but can equal the franchise record for points in a season (103 in 2003-04) with a victory.
Toronto could not get a hold on Saturday’s contest after veteran Patrick Marleau scored the first goal, losing for the third time in eight games overall and the second time in three at home after winning a franchise-record 13 straight at Air Canada Centre. “I think it shows you’ve got to be sharp each and every night, and sometimes the details of the game is the difference,” Marleau told reporters. “(Saturday) was no different.” The Sabres have lost five of seven but are coming off one of their best performances of the season as they rallied to knock off NHL-best Nashville 7-4 on Saturday with four power-play goals in the second period. “Our guys stuck with it,” Buffalo coach Phil Housley told reporters. “They just stayed the course. I think when it was 3-1 there, they really dug in. It was a great response from our team.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), TSN4
ABOUT THE SABRES (25-41-12): Jack Eichel registered a career-high five assists in Saturday’s victory after scoring three goals in the previous two games to push his team-leading total to 62 points. Ryan O’Reilly collected three points against the Predators to give him 57 on the season while 2014 second-overall draft pick Sam Reinhart registered a hat trick to give him 23 goals, matching the career high he set in 2015-16. Defenseman Victor Antipin left the ice on a stretcher Saturday after being hit by Scott Hartnell behind the net and is out indefinitely.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (47-25-7): The speedy Mitch Marner saw his 11-game point streak come to an end Saturday, but he has a strong hold on the team lead with 69 - including 22 goals. Auston Matthews recorded an assist against Winnipeg and has posted a point in seven consecutive games to push his season total to 57 - one more than linemate William Nylander for second on the team. Defenseman Travis Dermott, who has notched 13 points and a plus-17 rating over his first 36 NHL games, suffered a lower-body injury Saturday and is questionable.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto coach Mike Babcock told reporters backup G Curtis McElhinney will start his second straight game Monday.
2. Buffalo’s 19-year-old rookie C Casey Mittelstadt has recorded two assists in his first two NHL games.
3. Marleau passed Frank Mahovlich for 33rd place on the all-time list Saturday with his 534th career goal.