The Toronto Maple Leafs went into this game with a return to their top-six lines and a new set of defence pairs against a Buffalo Sabres team desperate for any sense of positivity. They didn’t get it to start as the third line continued its offensive run with Bobby McMann scoring the first goal of the game. The Sabres thought they tied it thanks to Alex Tuch, but a Jason Zucker high stick on Chris Tanev reversed the play and put the Leafs on a four-minute power play. Auston Matthews took advantage of a great pass and some messy penalty killing to make it 2-0.
Both teams had more offence in the second period. JJ Peterka and Mattias Samuelsson put the Sabres on the board, while Max Domi and Nick Robertson scored for Toronto, chasing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from the net. James Reimer took the net in relief but saw pucks go by him, as well, starting with Max Pacioretty scoring his fifth of the season.
The third period was slow to start before things started turning for the Leafs. Buffalo’s defence began loading up on chances with point shots and its personnel playing deeper in the offensive zone. Owen Power scored with eight minutes to go off a scrambled defensive breakdown. It looked as if the Sabres were going to make things interesting as Power scored again from the point, but a coach’s challenge caught the goaltender interference from Sam Lafferty, reversing the goal. The score would remain the same until William Nylander’s empty-netter secured the 6-3 victory.
Aside from a few blemishes, there’s a lot to like about the Leafs’ opening two periods. They started to hang back in the third and gave the Sabres life with five-on-five play and power-play time. It’s good they stuck with it, but those are habits that cost the Leafs because they gave Buffalo the means to get back in the game, which is a tough stain on an otherwise successful night. Toronto gets a final grade of B.
Player reports
Bobby McMann-Max Domi-Nick Robertson: A
Back-to-back games with all three players on the line scoring a goal. They continue to look like a line who understands their assignment and each other. Robertson is getting back to what made him stand out in the preseason, such as his play away from the puck and taking the hit to make the play in the defensive zone which kicked off the three-on-one. Domi made a perfect pass and kept the goaltender guessing until the last minute.
BOBBY MCMANN 🚨
The third line gets a three-on-one pic.twitter.com/YheIq6ZCjN
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
The line stacks scoring chances with how it wins board battles and attacks the net. McMann does a lot of the heavy lifting in that category, and Domi puts himself in a shooting position to get those final looks and made use of that quick release on the 4-1 goal.
MAX DOMI 🚨
Holy what a set of passes from McMann and Marner pic.twitter.com/6yfXl4d8GV
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
And although we all know Robertson can score, it’s still good to see him produce at a consistent rate given how snakebitten he was at the beginning of the season.
NICK ROBERTSON 🚨
Five-hole laser pic.twitter.com/jJTe1ikP2z
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
The line isn’t perfect and had a few hemmed moments, but I think with more time, it will figure it out.
Jake McCabe: A
A veteran move by a veteran player on the three-on-one rush. It’s one thing to jump up and give another threat for Luukkonen to consider, but he also got in front of Dylan Cozens, who was charging back behind him to stop him from getting involved defensively. McCabe had a few chances to score as well and it’s warming to see McCabe make protecting his goaltender a personal objective.
Chris Tanev: A
Saved a goal in the second period by getting in the way of a rebound opportunity. That empty-net goal had another milestone attached to it with the assist being Tanev’s 200th NHL point.
William Nylander: A-
Perfect saucer pass over the sticks of Beck Malenstyn, Connor Clifton and a diving Samuelsson. Nylander added another primary assist for Pacioretty, putting the puck right on his tape in front of Reimer and had the empty-net goal. His line wasn’t as active in the first period, but I thought he turned things up in the second and third.
Mitch Marner: B+
Two assists on the night, his 17th multi-point game of the season. McMann’s pass to Domi was something, and Marner’s stretch pass to McMann was just as good. He also had a strong impact on the Leafs’ shift after the 5-2 goal to force an O-zone turnover.
Marner and OEL do a great job on the next shift up forcing turnovers in the offensive zone pic.twitter.com/3WqBVfKWFU
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
Auston Matthews: B+
Converted on the four-minute power play for his 11th of the season.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨
Power play goal with sauce from Nylander pic.twitter.com/bDegaHxnNf
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
Matthews was tied for the most shot attempts, getting a couple of good looks in tight on Reimer. His faceoff percentage wasn’t the best, but that defensive win in the third with the net empty was a key one.
Matt Murray: B
It was Murray’s first NHL game since April of 2023 and his first save of the game was a solid one off the shoulder. He allowed three goals, although one of them was waved off, and he looked all right for most of the night. He’d want the Peterka goal back and there were some moments where rebounds went out further than he’d like. Power’s goal was a mess all around from the players and Murray himself but overall, I’d say it was a good starting point for him.
Morgan Rielly: B
Good on Rielly to stand up for Matthews after that hit from Tage Thompson. Whether he won the fight or not is irrelevant, you have to let the Sabres — a team anything but happy right now — know shots on the captain won’t fly.
the fight was in response to Thompson’s hit on Matthews pic.twitter.com/7efPGdOcSV
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
Also, his primary assist sprung Robertson on the rush for his second-period goal.
John Tavares: B
Two helpers in the game earning his 600th career assist. He was puck-watching on the waved goal but luckily it was called off.
Max Pacioretty: B
Heads right to the front of the net for his fifth of the season.
MAX PACIORETTY 🚨
Head to the net and good things happen pic.twitter.com/2t0mgFWPPk
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 21, 2024
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: B
Had two stinging blocks in the first period, the first of them took him out of the game for a bit. He did a good job adding to the offensive pressure of the first line.
Matthew Knies: C+
One shot on goal and he almost sent Nylander on a rush from a neutral zone steal.
Simon Benoit: C+
Benoit was reunited with McCabe tonight and coach Craig Berube relied on them late in the third.
Conor Timmins: C
Another beneficiary from a waived-off goal as Timmins lost the board and puck battle ahead of it getting moved to the point.
Pontus Holmberg–David Kämpf–Steven Lorentz: D+
The fourth line was buried at five-on-five, being the team’s worst line by far only putting up one shot attempt to the opposition’s 11. You hang your hat on them not giving up a goal but that 2.5 percent expected goal percentage stands out.
Game score
What’s next for the Leafs?
The Leafs welcome the New York Islanders for a Hockey Night in Canada showdown tomorrow at 7 p.m. on CBC.
(Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images)
