Sabres at Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had trouble scoring goals for the majority of the past 11 days - and they're still far better off than the Buffalo Sabres, who visit Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. Toronto has dropped three of four, scoring just two goals in those three defeats. The Maple Leafs look to improve their fortunes against a Sabres team that is coming off a 2-1 victory over the host San Jose Sharks, but has scored just nine goals through its first 11 games.
Tuesday's encounter between geographical rivals will also present an opportunity for both teams to get their power plays in order. Toronto has gone without a man-advantage goal for five consecutive games after opening the season with five power-play tallies in 12 chances over its first three contests. The Maple Leafs will get no sympathy from the Sabres, who come in scoreless in 30 opportunities and are one of two teams without a power-play goal on the season.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE SABRES (2-7-0): Coach Ted Nolan isn't shy about shaking up his forward lines to try and find something that works - and that process continued Saturday, as he shifted Marcus Foligno from left wing to center alongside Drew Stafford and Cody Hodgson. The move seemed to invigorate Hodgson, who scored in the win. "He seemed to adjust to that position a little bit last year and going into the world championships," Nolan told the Buffalo News. "He seems to flourish, and we'll save his energy for the offensive zone, which he's known for."
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (3-4-1): Toronto appears to be in for a little line experimentation of its own - at least, if Monday's practice was any indication. Coach Randy Carlyle changed up superstar Phil Kessel's linemates, pairing him with second-line forwards Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul while Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk were slotted in with David Clarkson. "It happens throughout the year on every team, you change things up and see what happens," Bozak told the Toronto Star. "We're not playing good enough as a team right now.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto won three of five meetings last season, with the home team prevailing each time.
2. Kessel has 16 goals and 16 assists in 47 career games against Buffalo.
3. The Atlantic Division rivals have gone to extra time in six of their last 10 encounters, with each team winning three of those games.