By Mike Brophy – nhl.com correspondent
TORONTO – Sam Reinhart scored the only goal in the shootout to give the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 win over Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Monday.
Buffalo (27-31-9) overcame two two-goal deficits including a 3-1 deficit in the third period.
Toronto (21-33-11) has lost six in a row.
Leo Komarov gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead with his team-leading 19th goal of the season 25 seconds into the game. Komarov escaped the coverage of Buffalo defensemanRasmus Ristolainen and snapped home a perfectly placed backhand pass from rookie right wing Nikita Soshnikov past Sabres goalie Chad Johnson.
Soshnikov was injured at 2:58 when he attempted to check Buffalo’s Johan Larsson near center. Soshnikov lost his balance and crashed into the boards hitting his head. He was able to leave the ice under his own power and after undergoing concussion protocol, returned to the bench late in the first period.
Brad Boyes made it 2-0 for the Maple Leafs with his eight goal of the season at 11:05. With Buffalo’s Brian Gionta off for tripping, Boyes attempted a pass to Brooks Laich standing in front of the Sabres net. The puck bounced off Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe‘s skate and slid past Johnson.
The Sabres made it 2-1 at 16:24 of the second period when defenseman Mark Pysyk directed a shot to the Toronto net that goaltender Garret Sparks stopped. Sparks accidentally pushed the puck over the goal line with his trapper. The play was reviewed and it was ruled the puck went entirely over the line. It was Pysyk’s first goal of the season.
Less than a minute later, Maple Leafs center Zach Hyman scored his first NHL goal to make it 3-1. Playing in his fifth NHL game, Hyman drove hard to the net with the puck. His first shot was stopped by Johnson, but Hyman stabbed the rebound in.
Jack Eichel pulled the Sabres to within one when he stepped out of the penalty box after serving a roughing minor, skated to the net and slipped a shot past Sparks at 7:28. It was Eichel’s 20th goal of the season.
The Sabres tied it at 10:41 when Toronto center Nazem Kadri lost the puck in his own zone. Reinhart got the puck at the side of the Maple Leafs net and passed to Evander Kane alone in front. Kane tipped the puck past Sparks for his 19th goal of the season.
(Reprinted with permission of the Buffalo Sabres)
