TORONTO – Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs heaped more misery on the slumping Sabres.
The winger had two assists, including a nice shorthanded layup to end a 3-0 first-period shellacking, extending his point streak to 12 games as Toronto defeated Buffalo 5- 2 to extend their Atlantic Division rival’s losing streak. eight
“I’m just doing it, as usual,” said Marner, who had points in 13 straight starts last season. “Trying to hustle out there, trying to be the best that I can be.
“The luck of having great people to put some records on the net and find me in places where I can do the same.”
Marner, who has three goals and 14 assists during his streak, is just the second player in franchise history to record points in 12 consecutive contests multiple times, joining Lorne Carr (14 games in 1942-43 and 13 in 1943-43). 44).
“His hockey sense is off the charts,” Toronto goaltender Matt Murray said. “It’s incredible”.
William Nylander scored two goals, while John Tavares, with one goal and two assists, Calle Jarnkrok and Mark Giordano provided the rest of the attack for Toronto (10-5-4).
Murray made 32 saves as the Leafs improved to 6-1-2 in their last nine.
“Defensively, I thought we were outstanding,” Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Between how we defended and then how Matt Murray played in goal, we were a tough team to beat.”
Alex Tuch and Casey Mittelstadt responded for Buffalo (7-11-0), which has not earned a point in the standings since Nov. 2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 18 shots in his first start of the season after being recalled from the club. AHL with Eric Comrie (lower body injury) out.
“It boils down to competing,” said Sabers head coach Don Granato, whose team took three of four from the Leafs in 2021-22. “We didn’t have enough guys competing hard enough early on.
“That was the difference.”
Toronto opened the scoring at 12:58 of the first when Marner’s power shot went past Tavares for the captain’s 10th goal before Jarnkrok made it 2-0 at 17:27 with his fourth.
The Sabers went on the man advantage late in the period, but Marner ran back on a breakaway before dropping a pass to Giordano. Tuch dislodged the net from its moorings in a desperate putback effort before the Toronto defenseman pulled the puck over the goal line.
Giordano’s first of 2022-23 was initially overturned, with Tuch assessed a delay-of-game penalty, but the sequence was deemed an “imminent scoring opportunity” after video review, as the Leafs take a 3-0 lead in just 5:23. .
“I was waiting for the rebound honestly,” said Giordano, who scored his 13th career goal to tie Chris Chelios for fifth all-time.
The 39-year-old also had an inkling the no-look plate would come after Marner made a similar move last season when the defenseman was captain of the Seattle Kraken.
“He buried me by one down on this one,” Giordano said with a smile. “I expected it (Saturday). Great play.”
Buffalo pulled one back on a power play at 10:01 of the second on a Tuch deflection for the ninth out of the end before Murray, who earned his first home win in blue and white, kept the strong with another Sabers lead.
Nylander restored Toronto’s three-goal lead at 14:50 on a power play when he swept the ninth from the crease and added another on a breakaway at 10:37 of the third to make it 5-1 in a sweet aerial feeding of Tavares.
“Unreal,” Nylander said. “He saw the space and hoped he would turn it around.”
Mittelstadt rounded out the scoring with his fifth on a power play at 15:07 on a night where Buffalo offered little when the game was within reach.
“In the 5-on-5 they had almost nothing,” Keefe said. “This is as good as we’ve been.”
GAME OF POWER
Sabers rookie defenseman Owen Power has nine assists in 18 games as the top pick in the 2021 draft navigates his first full NHL season.
The Mississauga, Ont., native said after Saturday’s morning skate that his main concerns have been travel and a busy schedule after acclimating roughly twice a week in the USHL and the NCAA the last four years.
“He’s still adjusting,” Power said. “How I feel, how much work I’m doing, how much rest.”
Granato, who has the Power at the top of the defense along with Rasmus Dahlin, said the 19-year-old is like a sponge.
“Very good and consistent in learning and applying,” Granato said. “He absorbs what’s going on.
“He acclimates and reacclimates very quickly.”
UNTIL THE NEXT
Leafs: Host the New York Islanders on Monday.
Sabres: Visit Montreal on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 19, 2022.
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