Maple Leafs 3, Sabres 2
Nazem Kadri's goal early in the third period lifted Toronto past the visiting Buffalo Sabres 3-2 on Thursday, ending the Maple Leafs' four-game losing skid.
Kadri's first goal of the season put Toronto in front 5:52 into the final frame. Clarke MacArthur dropped a pass just inside the blue line to a trailing Kadri, who whistled a wrist shot into the top left corner past Ryan Miller's glove.
The Maple Leafs held on from there to avenge a 5-4 loss to the Sabres six days earlier.
After a scoreless first period in which the Leafs outshot the Sabres 12-6, it was Buffalo that opened the scoring 11:43 into the second period.
Toronto had just finished killing off the first penalty of a two-man disadvantage when Jason Pominville gathered a pass at the right faceoff circle and fired a shot that deflected off Toronto defenseman Luke Schenn in front and beat netminder James Reimer low.
Toronto finally solved Miller at 15:52. Schenn's point shot was stopped but the puck redirected to Dave Steckel, who outworked a pair of Buffalo players to slide the puck into an open net.
Kessel sent the Air Canada Crowd into hysterics a minute later, jabbing home a Joffrey Lupul pass for his 20th goal of the season.
Derek Roy drew Buffalo drew even 1:29 into the third period, scoring for just the second time in his past 17 games.