The Toronto Maple Leafs were on the verge of being swept by the Buffalo Sabres, as they trailed their QEW rival 3-2 late in the third period, but newcomer Dakota Joshua’s second goal of the season with less than seven minutes left in regulation tied the game, and John Tavares game-winner at 1:28 of overtime gave the Leafs a 4-3 victory and salvaged a split of the back-to-back home-and-home weekend series.
The game was marked by some much needed physicality from the Leafs, as Simon Benoit took a run at Sabres winger Jason Zucker, who was responsible for the injury to leading scorer William Nylander in Friday’s 5-3 loss in Buffalo, but the highlight of the night was Jake McCabe’s hit on Buffalo defenseman Bowen Byram and the subsequent fight between McCabe and Sabres winger Alex Tuch.
Through the first three weeks of the season, the Leafs are .500 and searching for an identity. After the game, head coach Craig Berube said that the club needed to get back to the defensively responsible, hard-checking, physicality the club displayed last season that has been missing to start the year.
At the Ford Performance Centre on Monday, Nylander took part in practice after being a late scratch on Saturday, but his status for the Leafs next game against Calgary on Tuesday is uncertain. Fourth liner Calle Jarnkrok is doubtful for the Flames game after taking a shot off the skate on Saturday, which means that Nick Robertson and Easton Cowan are virtually guaranteed to play, and if Nylander is not available, that veteran Sammy Blais may get his first start in a Leaf uniform.
Injured vets Chris Tanev and Scott Laughton were also on the ice prior to practice. Tanev was placed on IR after a collision with New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer last week, and is not eligible to come off the injured list until Wednesday, but GM Brad Treliving hesitated to say the veteran blueliner would come off right away. Laughton has been out since late in the preseason, and reportedly is hoping to return by Saturday, when the Leafs head to play the Flyers in Philadelphia.
The news was also positive regarding Joseph Woll. The Leafs goalie returned to the club on the weekend and practiced for the first time on Monday. Treliving spoke to the media and indicated that Woll will speak with them soon, to reveal the reason for his leave of absence, and on when the club can expect him back in the lineup. “it’s great to have him back,” Treliving said.
“It’s probably not unreasonable to expect, once we get to that stage, of him going and playing some conditioning games with the Marlies, but we’re going to take our lead from Joe on how he’s feeling on a daily basis and sort of getting up to speed. But it’s great to have him back.”
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