Sabres 4, Maple Leafs 1
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Cal O'Reilly and Johan Larsson each had two goals to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
Chad Johnson was solid between the pipes for Buffalo (32-35-11) and made 25 saves.
It was the first two-goal game of O'Reilly's career. Cal O'Reilly is the older brother of standout Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly.
Brooks Laich scored the lone goal for the Maple Leafs (28-38-11). Garret Sparks made 33 saves.
The Sabres jumped out to an early lead and dominated the Maple Leafs statistically. Buffalo outshot Toronto 16-5 through one period and 28-16 through two periods.
Larsson opened the scoring 7:09 into the game. After setting up a defenseman screen in the right circle, Larsson lifted a high wrist shot off the bottom of the crossbar and in for his eighth goal of the year.
O'Reilly made it 2-0 just before the end of the first period. Rookie Jack Eichel spotted a wide-open O'Reilly in the slot, and the center buried a wrist shot for his second goal of the year.
O'Reilly picked up his second goal of the game 3:41 into the second. O'Reilly raced to pick up a loose puck inside the left circle and hammered a slap shot into the net.
Laich got the Maple Leafs on the board with 6:28 remaining in the second. Following a nice setup by Tobias Lindberg from behind the Sabres net, Laich's one-timer beat Johnson for his second goal of the year.
Buffalo appeared to make it 4-1 with 2:43 remaining in the second on a long shot by defenseman Mark Pysyk but the goal was nullified due to incidental contact with Sparks. A replay challenge from Buffalo confirmed the initial decision.
Larsson added an empty-net goal with three seconds remaining.
NOTES: The Maple Leafs recalled four players and sent four to the Toronto Marlies in the AHL earlier Thursday. Toronto recalled RW Kasperi Kapanen, RW Tobias Lindberg, D Andrew Campbell and D T.J. Brennan. Kapanen, Lindberg and Brennan were recalled on an emergency basis. RW Connor Brown, F Zach Hyman, D Rinat Valiev and D Connor Carrick were sent to the Marlies. ... D Matt Hunwick, C Peter Holland, RW Nikita Soshnikov, C Leo Komarov and D Viktor Loov were scratched for the Maple Leafs. ... LW Evander Kane, D Carlo Colaiacovo, D Cody Franson, G Jason Kasdorf and G Robin Lehner were scratched for the Sabres. Kane was ruled out for the remainder of the season earlier Thursday with an upper-body injury.