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The last time these teams met, it was as one-sided an NHL game as I’ve seen. It looked like there might be a similar result this time out; through 15 minutes the Leafs were dominant in chances, and it just seemed like a matter of time before they would break the Sabres down.

However, after the penalty to David Clarkson, Buffalo scored two goals before the end of the period. While Toronto again had the better of the play in the second, even a late pair of goals couldn’t help them get closer than two. Two goals for the Sabres in the first five minutes of the third completed the surprise result.

StatusOverallEven StrengthES Close
TeamTORBUF%TORBUF%TORBUF%
1161061.5%16672.7%16672.7%
29660.0%9660.0%00-
39469.2%5455.6%00-
Total342063.0%301665.2%16672.7%

The Leafs‘ first period domination was impressive, but they tailed off in the second half of the game, when trying to chase the Sabres’ lead. Girgensons’ first goal was the last close chance in the game, so those numbers end up flattering the Leafs.

ClubStPTimeTScOscNoteTorontoBuffalo
BUFES117:0800Foligno from Stewart26433234634198082515534
TORES116:5800Kadri drives2643323434198082515534
TORES116:5200Leivo from rebound of Kadri shot2643323434198082515534
TORES116:0400Holland wide from Panik24187146513482144245734
BUFES114:5500Flynn from Mitchell2643323434176512415134
TORES114:1100Smith from loose puck232547124434286326515534
TORES114:0600Santorelli wide from rebound of Smith shot232547125134286326515534
BUFES113:3100Stewart from Hodgson428121465134198082245734
TORES112:5800Van Riemsdyk from Bozak4281213434198082245734
BUFES112:0800Stafford wide from Deslauriers2418711244348214464134
TORES111:5200Clarkson wide from Rielly2418714451348124464134
TORES111:4900Rielly drives2418714451348124464134
TORES108:2500Phaneuf from Leivo2643323434198082245734
TORES108:1300Winnik wide from Leivo2643323434198082245734
TORES106:5000Van Riemsdyk wide from Kessel238121465134176512244134
TORES106:3500Bozak from Gardiner428121465134176512244134
TORES106:1500Holland wide from Panik241871465134286326515534
TORES106:0600Holland wide from Polak241871465134286326515534
BUFSH104:2300Stafford from Ennis232441234-632126515734
BUFSH104:2000GOAL! Ennis from rebound of Stafford shot232441234-632126515734
BUFES103:4501Hodgson from loose puck264332124434198082515534
BUFES103:2101Hodgson from Foligno264332124434198082515534
TORES103:0701Kadri wide from Leivo26433234434191282515534
TORES103:0301Kadri wraparound2643323434191282515534
BUFPP101:2701GOAL! Girgensons from Flynn4281213434286564134-
BUFSH100:0402Myers from faceoff264234634-632126415734
TORES213:5902Bozak deflects Phaneuf shot wide4281213434286326245734
BUFES212:5002GOAL! Stafford drives2643324651348214464134
TORES211:2203Clarkson from Holland2418713434198082245734
BUFES210:1303Moulson from Girgensons4281213434286326245734
TORES209:4103Winnik wide from Kadri26437112443482144515534
BUFES209:2603Deslauriers drives2643711244348214464134
BUFES209:2503McCormick from rebound of Deslauriers shot2643711244348214464134
TORES206:0403Bozak from Kessel428121444634198082245734
BUFES205:1503Foligno wide from Stewart42812144463419808264134
TORES204:5203Clarkson from Winnik264371343417658064134
TORES204:1103Winnik from Phaneuf264371343417651264134
TORES201:1903GOAL! Clarkson deflects Franson shot2643713434176512245734
BUFES201:0313GOAL! Moulson from Ennis26437146513428632665534
TORES200:1914GOAL! Kessel from Van Riemsdyk42812112443482144245734
TORES200:0424Komarov from Santorelli242547343419808265534
BUFES318:5224Moulson from Ennis4281213434286326245734
BUFES318:5024GOAL! Myers from rebound of Moulson shot4281213434286326245734
TORES317:5425Gardiner from Kadri264371445134198082415134
TORPP316:4725Gardiner drives wide42812145134828245734-
TORPP316:3925Kessel from loose puck42812145134828245734-
BUFES315:1825GOAL! Girgensons drives428121343481728245734
TORES314:4625Smith wide from Panik23183244463419808264134
TORES311:5126Bozak deflects Phaneuf shot4281213434286326245734
BUFES310:1726Mitchell from Gionta242547125134176512515534
TORPP307:2326Kadri from Holland24437134434172865534-
TORPP306:3426Van Riemsdyk from loose puck42812145134865245734-
TORES301:3526Holland post from Polak24254744463417651264134
TORES300:5226Leivo from loose puck23183212513482144515534

The player-by-player data:

PlayerOverallEven StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiffTOIForAgainstDiffToiForAgainstDiff
Phaneuf158720:17146814:30725
Franson168818:21135812:37615
Robidas58-317:0356-115:4023-1
Panik81713:1481713:14514
Van Riemsdyk107319:4476115:03312
Smith52312:3450511:19303
Holland94517:5082613:16514
Santorelli41310:0141310:01202
Winnik119212:53118310:37642
Leivo85310:5385310:53642
Bozak98119:1866014:11211
Kadri128414:05118310:34642
Rielly116519:07106415:40431
Polak86221:2885319:04523
Komarov41310:5241309:14202
Gardiner134923:44104619:27817
Clarkson124815:50114712:31514
Kessel107318:4376114:02312
Reimer34201459:4130161448:1016610

Kadri’s line was one of the most effective in producing chances, but also struggled defensively, as he and Winnik in particular were on for a lot of Buffalo’s chances. The top line also wasn’t good in the last two periods; despite the fact the Leafs were chasing, they only ended up even. After a tough night against Pittsburgh, Peter Holland was one of the best players tonight, as he and Panik both had great numbers, as did Clarkson and Smith.

Stephane Robidas was the only Leaf that ended up a negative in chances, as he continues to have an unimpressive start to his Toronto career. Jake Gardiner had the hardest zone starts on the team, but still ended up with big positive numbers, and played a lot of minutes as well. Franson and Phaneuf ended up with good numbers, but were on for three of Buffalo’s goals, including two with Buffalo shorthanded.

Cumulative numbers this season:

OverallPos#Even StrengthES Close
ForAgainstDiff%TOIForAgainstDiff%
LupulF94139251.3%15:252719858.7%
FransonD1692751755.1%15:0457421557.6%
PanikF173835352.1%09:002519656.8%
ClarksonF1879681153.7%12:554436855.0%
ReimerG8113121-848.3%42:0959491054.6%
KadriF188386-349.1%13:335750753.3%
WinnikF165054-448.1%11:513027352.6%
KomarovF185651552.3%12:243130150.8%
PhaneufD18108114-648.6%17:146968150.4%
RiellyD178888050.0%15:075252050.0%
KesselF18111119-848.3%15:016869-149.6%
BozakF1898107-947.8%15:145760-348.7%
GardinerD166875-747.6%16:043640-447.4%
PolakD1883119-3641.1%18:015564-946.2%
BernierG12153173-2046.9%44:47100120-2045.5%
Van RiemsdykF1898126-2843.8%15:085871-1345.0%
SantorelliF185055-547.6%12:292632-644.8%
LeivoF51615151.6%08:041013-343.5%
HollandF183956-1741.1%09:562229-743.1%
RobidasD176674-847.1%14:543448-1441.5%
PercyD82641-1538.8%14:541422-838.9%
CarrickF5411-726.7%08:07411-726.7%
FrattinF6513-827.8%06:58312-920.0%

A nice game from the likes of Panik and Holland sees them move up. Robidas drops below Holland in ES Close, and the veteran is now the lowest ranked regular Leaf.