Maple Leafs at Sabres
If the Buffalo Sabres can count on one thing in this difficult season - where just about nothing has gone right for them - it’s beating the Toronto Maple Leafs at home. The Sabres host Toronto Friday with a chance for their 13th win in 15 home contests against the Maple Leafs. Toronto is 0-3-2 on the road in November and already dropped a 3-1 decision at Buffalo two weeks ago.
The Sabres have not won since that victory over Toronto and are mired in a five-game losing skid in which they have scored just six goals while allowing at least three per contest. Maple Leafs netminders Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer both struggled in their last starts, with Reimer yielding five goals Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Bernier permitting five Wednesday versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ryan Miller has started the last four games for the Sabres and owns a .918 save percentage despite his 4-15-0 record.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RDS, Leafs TV, MSG Buffalo, Bell TV
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (14-9-2): Toronto placed Joffrey Lupul on injured reserve with a groin strain suffered Monday against Columbus. Tyler Bozak recorded a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 6-5 setback to the Penguins, his second game back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a month. Defenseman Jake Gardiner was a healthy scratch Wednesday for the first time this season and has just five assists in 24 games.
ABOUT THE SABRES (5-20-1): Matt Moulson has 10 points in 13 games since joining Buffalo in a trade. Captain Steve Ott recorded his only multi-point performance of the season in the last home game against Toronto, but has just seven points and is minus-10. Cody Hodgson has scored seven of his eight goals in home games but has just two points in the last six contests.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto allows the most shots per game in the league at 36.1, while the Sabres allow 36.0.
2. Miller is 30-15-1 in 46 career starts against Toronto, with a 2.45 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and four shutouts.
3. Maple Leafs leading scorer Phil Kessel has one goal in his last four games.