Maple Leafs at Sabres
After seeing their four-game home winning streak come to an end, the Toronto Maple Leafs will make a quick stop in Western New York to face the reeling Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Defenseman Cody Franson scored to extend his career-best point streak to six contests, but the Maple Leafs mustered little else in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday. Franson has collected two goals and six assists during his run for Toronto, which returns to Air Canada Centre to open a three-game homestand versus Nashville on Tuesday.
Jonathan Bernier turned aside 39 shots versus the Penguins and needed to make only 10 saves in the Maple Leafs' 4-0 victory over Buffalo on Oct. 28 but is expected to take a seat in favor of James Reimer. The Sabres have yielded six goals in each of the last three contests of their five-game losing streak (0-4-1) - including a 6-3 setback to Minnesota on Thursday. "It's kind of sad to watch team after team after team go through us in the defensive zone like we don't know what we're doing," Buffalo coach Ted Nolan said.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC (Toronto), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (9-6-2): Phil Kessel was held off the scoresheet for the second time in nine games on Friday but may be poised to find his offensive touch when he faces Buffalo. The 27-year-old collected a goal and an assist in last month's meeting and has six points during a four-game run versus the Sabres. Kessel has recorded 17 goals and as many assists in 48 career meetings with the Atlantic Division rival.
ABOUT THE SABRES (3-13-2): Zemgus Girgensons scored and set up a goal on Thursday as Buffalo matched a season high in tallies. The 20-year-old Latvian has two goals and three assists in his last six games overall and has set up three tallies in six career meetings with the Maple Leafs. Toronto native Cody Hodgson logged just 7:53 of ice time against the Wild and could be reduced to the role of spectator versus the Maple Leafs.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto went 0-for-6 on the power play versus the Penguins after going 3-for-4 in a 6-1 victory over Boston on Wednesday.
2. Rick Jeanneret will rejoin the Sabres' broadcast team to call the first period in his first game since announcing he is cancer-free.
3. Maple Leafs C Tyler Bozak recorded a goal and an assist in the first meeting.