Alex Tuch scored two third-period goals, and the visiting Buffalo Sabres came back to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Monday night.
Dylan Cozens added a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who trailed 2-0 with just over five minutes left in the second period. Jack Quinn also scored as Buffalo won for the second time in eight games.
Owen Power and JJ Peterka added two assists each. Craig Anderson stopped 25 shots in the win.
Auston Matthews had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs, who had won their two previous games. William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok also scored, and Mitchell Marner added two assists. Matt Murray, starting his second consecutive game, made 25 saves.
The Maple Leafs controlled most of the first period and had a 12-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Matthews scored his 31st goal of the season at 1:11 of the second period. He knocked in the rebound following a two-on-one rush by Alexander Kerfoot and Marner, who earned assists.
Jarnkrok scored his 15th goal of the season on a 28-foot wrist shot through the five-hole at 4:13 of the second.
Quinn was at the edge of the crease when he batted in a puck out of the air for his 13th goal of the season at 14:58 of the second. It came after Peterka made a pass from behind the net.
Buffalo had a 20-15 advantage in shots on goal after two periods.
Tuch, who had missed the previous eight games with an injury, converted a pass from Tage Thompson at 3:39 of the third period to tie the game at 2-2.
Nearly 30 seconds after Murray stopped Thompson on a breakaway, Cozens knocked in a loose puck for his 26th goal of the season at 9:39 of the third.
Tuch scored his 30th goal of the season from 17 feet out at 11:19 of the third on a power play. Nylander was off for high-sticking.
Anderson made a key save later in the period when two Toronto skaters broke in alone.
Nylander scored his 35th goal at 18:58 of the third to close the gap to a goal.
But Toronto was unable to net the equalizers after winning the first two meetings between the teams this season.
--Field Level Media
Buffalo | Toronto | |
Alex Tuch 2 | Points | Auston Matthews 3 |
Alex Tuch 2 | Goals | Auston Matthews 1 |
JJ Peterka 2 | Assists | Auston Matthews 2 |
Alex Tuch 1 | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Craig Anderson .893 | Save Percentage | Matt Murray .862 |
Craig Anderson 25 | Saves | Matt Murray 25 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Buffalo | 29 | 4 | 1-3 | 1-1 | 2 | 21 |
Toronto | 28 | 3 | 0-1 | 2-3 | 6 | 40 |