Maple Leafs at Sabres
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to surge toward what would be their second playoff appearance in 12 seasons and look to avoid a letdown when they visit the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres on Monday. Toronto is 7-1-1 in its last nine games after a 5-4 win at Detroit on Saturday and holds down third place in the Atlantic as it owns the tiebreaker over Ottawa, which occupies the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and a three-point lead over Tampa Bay with one game in hand.
“This is the time of year when you have to give everything you’ve got and put yourself in the best possible position,” Toronto's James van Riemsdyk told reporters. “We’re doing that, but we can’t stop yet. This can still get away from us.” Rookie Auston Matthews is doing his best to make sure that doesn’t happen to the Maple Leafs with at least one goal in four straight contests and seven during an eight-game point streak after scoring twice Saturday. Buffalo suffered a 4-2 home setback against the New York Islanders on Sunday for its second straight loss after a 4-1-0 stretch. The teams have split four meetings this season and the Sabres handed Toronto the only regulation defeat in its last nine contests – a 5-2 loss on March 25 in Buffalo.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (38-24-15): Matthews has recorded 38 goals, which has him among the league leaders and within two of becoming the first Maple Leaf with 40 since Mats Sundin in 2001-02. The 19-year-old Matthews tops the team with 66 points and William Nylander has notched at least one in 13 of his last 14 contests to tie fellow rookie Mitch Marner for second on the team with 59 while Nazem Kadri has recorded an assist in three straight to come in at 58. With goals in two straight games, van Riemsdyk gives Toronto five players with at least 57 points.
ABOUT THE SABRES (32-34-12): Evander Kane recorded his team-leading 27th goal Sunday with an assist recorded by C.J. Smith, who was making his NHL debut after being signed out of UMass Lowell on Thursday. The Buffalo News reported Sunday that the Sabres would recall Alex Nylander (nine goals, 27 points in the American Hockey League), the team's first-round draft pick last year who could make his NHL debut against brother William on Monday. Jack Eichel has collected five points (two goals) in his last six games and leads the club with 55 in only 57 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen, who is expected to start Monday, is 5-0-1 in his last six decisions and has allowed a total of 13 goals in his last seven games.
2. Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo, who has recorded six points in the last four games he has played, is expected to miss his third straight contest Monday due to illness.
3. Matthews is tied for the most goals by a United States-born rookie with Neal Broten, who scored 38 in 1981-82 with the Minnesota North Stars..