Maple Leafs at Sabres
THE STORY: The Toronto Maple Leafs’ offense was able to bail out its sagging blue line for most of the first two months. But with four losses in the last six games, Phil Kessel and company have had a hard time covering the gaps, especially a penalty kill that has been sieve-like of late. Toronto had to pull out a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime on Tuesday after surrendering a power-play goal with less than two minutes left in the third – the fourth straight contest in which it had yielded at least one tally on the penalty kill. Trying to take advantage of that on Friday will be the host Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres’ power-play unit is converting only 16.5 percent of its chances and could take a step back without Ville Leino, who will be out for over a week after sustaining a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (16-11-3): Toronto is second in the NHL at converting its own power plays but has dropped to last with a 74.1 percent penalty kill after getting torched for eight goals in 18 chances over the last four contests. The good news is that goaltender James Reimer is back and picked up his first win since October on Tuesday after missing seven weeks with a head injury.
ABOUT THE SABRES (15-12-3): Buffalo has dropped eight of its last 11 games but has looked better since top goaltender Ryan Miller returned to the lineup on Dec. 3. Miller has gone 2-0-2 since recovering from a concussion. He made a season-high 41 saves on Tuesday but allowed the game-winner 45 seconds into overtime. The Sabres, who are just 2 of 31 on the power play over their last nine games, had fought back to force extra time with two tallies in the final six minutes.
OVERTIME:
1. Toronto has taken three straight in the series after dropping six of the previous seven meetings.
2. Kessel has struggled to 17 points and a minus-5 in 32 career games against Buffalo.
3. Miller is 24-11-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average in his career against Toronto.