Maple Leafs at Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres look to earn a split of the four-game season series when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Buffalo also is seeking consecutive wins for the first time in over a month after posting a 4-1 triumph at Arizona on Monday. Defenseman Andrej Meszaros registered his second straight two-goal performance and captain Brian Gionta added a tally and an assist as the Sabres halted their five-game slide.
Toronto is aiming for its first three-game winning streak since mid-December as it closed out its four-game homestand with victories over Ottawa and Tampa Bay. Nazem Kadri scored a goal and set up another while James Reimer made 40 saves Tuesday as the Maple Leafs earned a split of their four-game season series against the Lightning, with the home team capturing each contest. The trend has been the same in the set versus the Sabres, as Toronto won both matchups at Air Canada Centre while dropping a 6-2 decision in Buffalo on Nov. 15.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (29-42-6): Reimer has made back-to-back starts for the first time since early February but likely will give way to Jonathan Bernier on Wednesday. TJ Brennan notched an assist against the Lightning, his first point in five games with Toronto. The 25-year-old defenseman, who was selected in the second round of the 2007 draft by the Sabres, has collected four goals and eight assists in 45 career contests with Buffalo, Florida and the Maple Leafs.
ABOUT THE SABRES (21-47-8): Meszaros has recorded four goals over his last two games after scoring three in his first 52 contests this season. The 29-year-old Slovakian has not reached double digits in tallies since netting 10 as a rookie with Ottawa in 2005-06. Defenseman Mike Weber looks to join Don Luce (1975) and Pat LaFontaine (1995) as Sabres who have won the Bill Masterton Trophy after being named Buffalo's nominee for the award on Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. The Sabres haven't won consecutive games since defeating Columbus and Vancouver on Feb. 24 and 26, respectively.
2. Toronto's last three-game winning streak occurred from Dec. 13-16, when it swept a brief homestand against Detroit, Los Angeles and Anaheim.
3. The Maple Leafs are 8-28-3 since the beginning of January.