Rielly’s late goal lifts Maple Leafs to 5-4 win over Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Morgan Rielly scored with 12 seconds remaining, and the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame squandering a two-goal, third-period lead by pulling out a 5-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday evening.

Joseph Woll stopped 23 photographs in his NHL debut, and Toronto received for the eighth time in 9 outings. John Tavares, Ondrej Kase, Michael Bunting and David Kampf additionally scored for the Maple Leafs, who by no means trailed. Toronto improved to 10-5-1 following a 2-4-1 begin to the season.

Buffalo overcame a 4-2 deficit with Jeff Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin scoring 59 seconds aside halfway via the third interval.

The Sabres have been unable to power additional time after they wound up being hemmed in their very own zone over a lot of the ultimate two minutes in resulting in the decisive purpose.

Toronto labored the puck again to Rielly on the blueline, the place his rising shot sailed via a crowd, hit the crossbar and had sufficient backspin to trickle inside the correct publish.

Skinner scored twice and added an help for Buffalo, which dropped to 1-5-1 in its previous seven.

Tage Thompson additionally scored for Buffalo in a matchup of two groups taking part in on consecutive nights and beginning third-string goalies.

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Aaron Dell stopped 21 photographs in his Sabres debut after Dustin Tokarski stopped 33 photographs in a 3-2 win over Edmonton on Friday evening with Craig Anderson sidelined by an higher physique damage. Signed as an offseason free agent, Dell opened within the AHL. He went 1-5 in six video games with New Jersey final season, with the win coming in Buffalo on April 8.

The 23-year-old Woll picked up one other reminiscence in Buffalo within the enviornment the Maple Leafs chosen him within the third spherical of the 2016 draft. It’s additionally the place the participant from the St. Louis, Missouri, space received a bronze medal representing the USA on the 2018 world junior championships.

Woll, who made a key kick save within the opening minute to cease Dylan Cozens, acquired the beginning with Jack Campbell getting a relaxation following a 30-save outing in a 2-1 additional time win over Calgary on Friday evening. Starter Petr Mrazek is sidelined by a groin damage.

The Leafs appeared to take management when Kase and Bunting scored 70 seconds aside to place Toronto forward 3-1 at 8:28 of the second interval. They usually led 4-2 with 10:38 remaining after Tavares tipped in Rielly’s shot for a power-play purpose.

The Sabres have been being out-shot 5-0 within the third interval when Skinner scored his second of the sport to chop Toronto’s result in 4-3 with 9:13 remaining.

Dahlin tied it 59 seconds later with a blast from the blue line, and after Kyle Okposo dug the puck out of the nook by out-muscling two Maple Leafs gamers, together with Mitchell Marner trying to kick on the puck after dropping his stick.

RIVALRY RESUMES

The long-time, cross-border rivals resumed their collection — paused by the coronavirus pandemic — in assembly for the primary time for the reason that Sabres’ 5-2 win at Buffalo on Feb. 16, 2020.

“I haven’t missed them,” Sabres coach Don Granato stated with a smile of how the Maple Leafs’ arrival in Buffalo often brings numerous blue-and-white clad followers.

There was one distinction with just a few Maple Leafs jerseys noticed within the crowd. Within the pre-pandemic days, Leafs followers would make up almost half the gang in Buffalo. Although the borders are open, all vacationers are required to indicate a destructive COVID-19 take a look at — which might value as much as $200 every — taken inside 72 hours to enter Canada.

SHUFFLING IN BUFFALO

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe shuffled his lineup in giving RW Wayne Simmonds and D Rasmus Sandin a relaxation from taking part in on consecutive nights. Rookie C Kirill Semyonov performed his second profession NHL recreation, and D Travis Dermott returned after being a wholesome scratch the previous two video games.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: Face the Nashville Predators on Tuesday within the opener of a three-game homestand.

Sabres: On the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

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Extra AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports