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Toronto raced out to a lead against Buffalo with a goal in the first 30 seconds and a Brad Boyes powerplay marker.

Zach Hyman kept the lead at two with a late goal in the second, and the Leafs looked in great shape for a win. They couldn’t hold it, though, giving up two in the third period and going to overtime. Neither side scored, and it was the Sabres who got the better of the shootout.

TeamChances1st2nd3rdOTESESCloseESCh%NZEnt%ContEnt
Tor249122120762.5%54.0%48.9%
Buf15452412237.5%46.0%32.0%

The Leafs had a great game in chances, and dominated Corsi as well, pulling away midway through the second period. That was also reflected in the neutral zone, which Toronto dominated.

Toronto had the first six chances of the game and were clearly superior in the first half of the second period, getting the first eight chances of that frame. Buffalo were mostly shutdown in the third period, but their two chances in that period turned into goals.

PeriodTimeSTSOTeamHowStateT1T2T3T4T5T6O1O2O3O4O5O6
119:3500TorGOAL! Komarov from SoshnikovES231414344474915233155
116:0410TorKomarov from GrabnerES231404344474915233147
111:5410TorHolland deflects Rielly shotES2182431441528293147
109:5710TorKomarov from KadriPP24313943444749173155
109:4910TorNylander wide from KadriPP24313943444749173155
109:1310TorCarrick from GardinerPP818232831511728293147
107:0620BufCatenacci from loose puckES8182428315132225314344
103:1320BufReinhart from EichelSH183140445291519233155
102:3620BufMoulson deflects Bogosian shotES2112026315131222263147
101:0920TorKadri deflects Hunwick shot wideES231414344474915263155
101:0320TorKomarov deflects Hunwick shot wideES231414344474915263155
100:2120BufFoligno wide from GiontaES11313940445131222253182
100:0520TorHyman drivesES2113139404431222253182
219:4320TorNylander from BoyesPP182428313951412173155
217:5820TorRielly wide from KadriES313841434447172528293155
215:1720TorHyman wide from GrabnerES11203139405141926283155
214:1420TorGreening wraparoundES8232631385231222253182
213:0320TorSoshnikov from KadriES231414344474915233155
213:0120TorKadri from reboundES231414344474915233155
208:3420TorSoshnikov from reboundES2314143475191523293147
208:2820TorKomarov from KadriES2314143475291523293147
204:2720BufGionta drivesES8314143475231222253182
203:3820BufPysyk from KaneES211313944473915232931
203:3720BufGOAL! Pysyk from reboundES211313944473915232931
201:5621BufGionta deflects Gorges shotES2313941434441222315582
201:3121BufGionta drivesES2233138394431219253182
201:1721TorGreening post from NylanderES2233138395231925283144
200:2121TorGrabner from loose puckES11263140515292229314447
200:2021TorHyman from reboundES11263140515292229314447
200:1821TorGOAL! Hyman from reboundES18242831515241726314355
319:3531TorLaich wide from GreeningES8232631385231222253182
312:3231BufGOAL! Eichel from MoulsonES11203140435141519263155
311:0232TorMichalek from BoyesES182024283151192829314447
309:1932BufGOAL! Kane from ReinhartES231414344474915233155
404:3333TorGrabner from KadriES3140434412153155
404:2033BufBogosian from KaneES23141479223147
404:1833BufLarsson from reboundES23141479223147
401:5233BufKane wide from RistolainenSH2314052915233155
401:3533BufEichel post from KaneSH2314052915233155

Leafs Player Data

PlayerESChFESChAESCh%ESTOIZS%NZ%ConEntOppConEnt
Smith4180.0%13:2333.3%62.2%43.5%35.7%
Greening4180.0%11:3933.3%59.4%47.4%38.5%
Grabner6275.0%13:3983.3%51.2%40.9%19.0%
Michalek3175.0%10:0766.7%51.7%40.0%14.3%
Laich3175.0%10:5533.3%56.3%44.4%42.9%
Holland3175.0%12:3466.7%54.1%35.0%11.8%
Kadri10471.4%17:1460.0%51.8%58.6%48.1%
Boyes2166.7%09:5950.0%54.8%35.3%7.1%
Soshnikov8561.5%12:4662.5%55.3%57.1%52.9%
Komarov9660.0%15:5883.3%57.1%53.6%42.9%
Hyman4544.4%15:1585.7%54.3%52.0%19.0%
Nylander3537.5%13:5666.7%43.9%50.0%30.4%
Marincin7187.5%19:1654.6%55.2%40.6%23.1%
Rielly10662.5%20:1670.0%56.3%61.1%35.7%
Gardiner6460.0%19:5454.6%50.9%41.4%25.0%
Hunwick11857.9%22:4072.7%56.5%56.4%43.3%
Corrado2250.0%10:3771.4%46.9%26.7%23.5%
Carrick2250.0%13:3337.5%52.6%45.0%27.8%

It was a strong night for Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and Nikita Soshnikov, as they matched up against Jack Eichel and Evander Kane, and finished with a big advantage in chances. Kadri was on for ten ES Leaf chances, and his +6 differential led the team. The Leafs had other successful lines as well. Ben Smith and Colin Greening, who were matched up against the Gionta line, shut them down and finished at the top of the table. Milan Michalek, making his Leaf debut, also had good numbers, while Michael Grabner finished at +4 and was effective at preventing controlled entries. William Nylander was one of the few Leafs with a negative differential, partly down to a couple of poor shifts late in the second period.

Martin Marincin had Connor Carrick as a regular partner, but he thrived when with other partners, trying Kadri at +6 in differential, due to strong play against the Gionta line. Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick were also strong, as that top pairing joined the top line in a very effective game against the Buffalo top unit.