Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) is grabbed by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Dakota Joshua (81) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Luke Schenn (5) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power (25) celebrates after his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon looks for the puck in traffic during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres right wing Josh Doan (91) and Toronto Maple Leafs center Bo Groulx (29) tie each other up behind the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) is grabbed by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
JTB
Toronto Maple Leafs center Dakota Joshua (81) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Luke Schenn (5) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
JTB
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power (25) celebrates after his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
JTB
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon looks for the puck in traffic during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
JTB
Buffalo Sabres right wing Josh Doan (91) and Toronto Maple Leafs center Bo Groulx (29) tie each other up behind the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jack Quinn scored the tying goal and also connected in a shootout, Alex Tuch ended the tiebreaker and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night to rebound from their first loss since the Olympic break.
Buffalo was coming off a 2-1 home loss to Washington on Thursday that ended an eight-game winning streak. The Atlantic Division-leading Sabres stretched their advantage over second-place Tampa Bay to four points and remained two points behind Carolina in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto played its first game since captain . Matthews tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Thursday at home in a 6-4 victory over Anaheim on a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas. Gudas was given a major penalty and ejected, then for kneeing.
Defenceman Owen Power also scored for Buffalo, and Alex Lyon stopped 16 shots.
Max Domi scored for Toronto in his 800th NHL game. Dakota Joshua also scored, and Joseph Woll made 30 saves.
The Maple Leafs lost their first eight after the Olympic break before beating the Ducks.
Quinn tied it 2-2 on a power play with 8:39 left in the second. He beat Woll with a wrist shot from the left side off a nifty pass from Noah Ostlund.
Power opened the scoring at 2:01 of the first with a wrist shot from the high slot off Zach Benson's feed from behind the goal. Joshua tied it at 7:09 of the period with a snap shot from the middle, and Domi put Toronto ahead at 53 seconds of the second on a break with William Nylander.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
Sabres: Visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
