Toronto gave up nine goals in a game for the first time since Nov. 18, 2014, vs. the Nashville Predators.
Toronto gave up nine goals in a game for the first time since Nov. 18, 2014, vs. the Nashville Predators.
To call this a messy game from the Maple Leafs would be an understatement.
With only one regulation loss in their last 10 games before this one, Toronto was hoping for a win against the Buffalo Sabres.
Except it wasn't that. Instead, the Maple Leafs had a nightmare that only Morgan Rielly had been in before. A 9-2 loss to the Nashville Predators back in 2014. From goaltending to mucky play, no one from the Maple Leafs could be happy about this game.
It was an untamed first period for both Buffalo and Toronto. A five-goal opening 20 minutes got the fans inside the KeyBank Center on their feet.
Ilya Samsonov's last start was one week ago when he allowed six goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before Thursday's game, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said they "needed" to get the 27-year-old going.
Getting going, he did. But making saves early, he didn't.
Samsonov allowed three goals on the first 12 shots from the Sabres, with the first goal being one he'd want to have back. The other two might've been easier to swallow for Toronto, but Jordan Greenway's shot from distance can't go in if you're Samsonov.
He would allow two more goals in the second period before Keefe decided to yank him and throw Martin Jones in the crease. Samsonov's night was over after allowing five goals on 19 shots.
Jones' night wouldn't be any better as he allowed four goals on 16 shots.
One of the positive notes, though, was that Auston Matthews found the back of the net for Toronto in the first period.
The 26-year-old continued his fiery-hot scoring streak on Thursday in Buffalo with an astonishing goal that, well, only Matthews and a few other NHL players would score. It came at a great time for Toronto, as that ties the game at one.
That was Matthews' 12th goal in his last eight games, putting him at 26 goals on the season.
After two straight Sabres penalties, the Maple Leafs' power play got on the board. Max Domi rips a shot past Devon Levi for his first goal on the road — and third goal of the season — for Toronto.
Domi's goal would put the Maple Leafs ahead 2-1, their only lead before the Sabres' scoring onslot.
Buffalo would score three goals in the first period, heading into the dressing room with a 3-2 lead.
The Sabres would score a five-on-three power-play goal early in the second period. Though 58 seconds later, Samsonov would make a huge save on a 98-mile-per-hour shot from Tage Thompson. Timothy Liljegren would jump on the rebound, setting up a two-on-one for William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok.
Jarnkrok would find the back of the net for a shorthanded goal. That's now eight on the season for the 32-year-old. Nylander — with an assist on the goal — has points in 27 of 30 games this season.
Those, though, were the only three goals Toronto could find in Buffalo. Following Jarnkrok's goal, the Sabres added four unanswered goals, sending the Maple Leafs back down the QEW with a sour taste in their mouth.
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