Leafs Max out on the Sabres

First Period

The third line struck early:

Was Domi passing? Yes, obviously. But did that help the Sabres? Not so's you'd notice.

Sabres got one right back on a slick centring pass from the corner:

Except the goal was disallowed because of a very slow whistle* on a high stick. Goal called back, Leafs with a double minor, Sabres not as irate as they should have been.

*No whistle, it was a linesman's call:

The power play seemed very much like passing practice until suddenly it was something more:

OE-owie:

He left the game briefly but returned.

Morgan Rielly took on Tage Thompson after a hit on Matthews.

After one it was 2-0 Leafs, on a very few shots with a little bit of coasting after the lead:

Just a slight flattening of the Leafs line, nothing to worry about.

Second Period

This period also started with a third-line goal, and it was a beaut.

The Sabres struck right back, and this one counted:

Simone Benoit and Matt Murray split the blame for that one.

Bobby McMann decides to paint a masterpiece to restore the lead:

Close up:

That's enough to kick UPL and bring in James Reimer.

Max Pacioretty wants in on this scoring thing:

Jake McCabe: bouncer in the waterfront bar:

That put the game to four-0n-four and Buffalo got one back as the teams played up and down the ice a little too loose with the extra space.

Holmberg took a fairly dumb penalty with two minutes plus to go in the second, but the Leafs killed it.

After two it was 5-2 Leafs, and we have once again entered the territory where how well the teams play ceases to matter much. But after that flatline in the first, the Leafs have been steadily pouring on the offence. And the goals.

Guys named Max not quite equalling Matthews.

Third Period

We get knocked down, and we get bored some more, you'll never really wake us up.

That was mean, I bet they're really not having fun. And they want everyone to know it.

The early third period was mostly the John Tavares line enjoying having William Nylander back, but they didn't manage to get one past Reimer.

Buffalo's two towers defence pair makes it 5-3 Leafs with 8 minutes to go.

Jason Zucker, who cares enough to take a lot of penalties, gives the Leafs a power play break from defending.

Power with another to make it a one-goal game:

Except... Toronto challenged for goaltender interference, a fairly high-risk gamble from the bench. But the replay showing the skate through Murray's stick was pretty conclusive. That's actual textbook interference.

No sign of Reimer being pulled until 2 minutes to go.

Pacioretty missed the open net, and in a fairly brain-dead moment he shot it from the wrong side of the red line.

Nylander doesn't miss, and that gives John Tavares his 600th assist.

Final score was 6-3 Leafs, and in this one, they actually outplayed the other team.

Leafs next game is tomorrow at home to the Islanders. Don't forget to book Monday off work to watch the afternoon game, the last before the Christmas break.

See you tomorrow!