Home Analysis Game Reviews Game 65 Scoring Chances and Zone Entries: Sabres 4 vs. Leafs 3...

Nazem Kadri Sabres — TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 28: Michal Neuvirth #34 of the Buffalo Sabres defends the goal as teammate Josh Gorges #4 battles with Nazem Kadri #43 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL game action October 28, 2014 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)

Game 65 Scoring Chances and Zone Entries: Sabres 4 vs. Leafs 3 (SO)

Mar 8, 2016

Toronto raced out to a lead against Buffalo with a goal in the first 30 seconds and a Brad Boyes powerplay marker.

Zach Hyman kept the lead at two with a late goal in the second, and the Leafs looked in great shape for a win. They couldn’t hold it, though, giving up two in the third period and going to overtime. Neither side scored, and it was the Sabres who got the better of the shootout.

Team	Chances	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	ES	ESClose	ESCh%	NZEnt%	ContEnt
Tor	24	9	12	2	1	20	7	62.5%	54.0%	48.9%
Buf	15	4	5	2	4	12	2	37.5%	46.0%	32.0%

The Leafs had a great game in chances, and dominated Corsi as well, pulling away midway through the second period. That was also reflected in the neutral zone, which Toronto dominated.

Toronto had the first six chances of the game and were clearly superior in the first half of the second period, getting the first eight chances of that frame. Buffalo were mostly shutdown in the third period, but their two chances in that period turned into goals.

Period	Time	ST	SO	Team	How	State	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	O1	O2	O3	O4	O5	O6
1	19:35	0	0	Tor	GOAL! Komarov from Soshnikov	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	23	31	55
1	16:04	1	0	Tor	Komarov from Grabner	ES	2	31	40	43	44	47	4	9	15	23	31	47
1	11:54	1	0	Tor	Holland deflects Rielly shot	ES	2	18	24	31	44		15	28	29	31	47
1	09:57	1	0	Tor	Komarov from Kadri	PP	24	31	39	43	44	47	4	9	17	31	55
1	09:49	1	0	Tor	Nylander wide from Kadri	PP	24	31	39	43	44	47	4	9	17	31	55
1	09:13	1	0	Tor	Carrick from Gardiner	PP	8	18	23	28	31	51	17	28	29	31	47
1	07:06	2	0	Buf	Catenacci from loose puck	ES	8	18	24	28	31	51	3	22	25	31	43	44
1	03:13	2	0	Buf	Reinhart from Eichel	SH	18	31	40	44	52		9	15	19	23	31	55
1	02:36	2	0	Buf	Moulson deflects Bogosian shot	ES	2	11	20	26	31	51	3	12	22	26	31	47
1	01:09	2	0	Tor	Kadri deflects Hunwick shot wide	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	26	31	55
1	01:03	2	0	Tor	Komarov deflects Hunwick shot wide	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	26	31	55
1	00:21	2	0	Buf	Foligno wide from Gionta	ES	11	31	39	40	44	51	3	12	22	25	31	82
1	00:05	2	0	Tor	Hyman drives	ES	2	11	31	39	40	44	3	12	22	25	31	82
2	19:43	2	0	Tor	Nylander from Boyes	PP	18	24	28	31	39	51	4	12	17	31	55
2	17:58	2	0	Tor	Rielly wide from Kadri	ES	31	38	41	43	44	47	17	25	28	29	31	55
2	15:17	2	0	Tor	Hyman wide from Grabner	ES	11	20	31	39	40	51	4	19	26	28	31	55
2	14:14	2	0	Tor	Greening wraparound	ES	8	23	26	31	38	52	3	12	22	25	31	82
2	13:03	2	0	Tor	Soshnikov from Kadri	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	23	31	55
2	13:01	2	0	Tor	Kadri from rebound	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	23	31	55
2	08:34	2	0	Tor	Soshnikov from rebound	ES	2	31	41	43	47	51	9	15	23	29	31	47
2	08:28	2	0	Tor	Komarov from Kadri	ES	2	31	41	43	47	52	9	15	23	29	31	47
2	04:27	2	0	Buf	Gionta drives	ES	8	31	41	43	47	52	3	12	22	25	31	82
2	03:38	2	0	Buf	Pysyk from Kane	ES	2	11	31	39	44	47	3	9	15	23	29	31
2	03:37	2	0	Buf	GOAL! Pysyk from rebound	ES	2	11	31	39	44	47	3	9	15	23	29	31
2	01:56	2	1	Buf	Gionta deflects Gorges shot	ES	2	31	39	41	43	44	4	12	22	31	55	82
2	01:31	2	1	Buf	Gionta drives	ES	2	23	31	38	39	44	3	12	19	25	31	82
2	01:17	2	1	Tor	Greening post from Nylander	ES	2	23	31	38	39	52	3	19	25	28	31	44
2	00:21	2	1	Tor	Grabner from loose puck	ES	11	26	31	40	51	52	9	22	29	31	44	47
2	00:20	2	1	Tor	Hyman from rebound	ES	11	26	31	40	51	52	9	22	29	31	44	47
2	00:18	2	1	Tor	GOAL! Hyman from rebound	ES	18	24	28	31	51	52	4	17	26	31	43	55
3	19:35	3	1	Tor	Laich wide from Greening	ES	8	23	26	31	38	52	3	12	22	25	31	82
3	12:32	3	1	Buf	GOAL! Eichel from Moulson	ES	11	20	31	40	43	51	4	15	19	26	31	55
3	11:02	3	2	Tor	Michalek from Boyes	ES	18	20	24	28	31	51	19	28	29	31	44	47
3	09:19	3	2	Buf	GOAL! Kane from Reinhart	ES	2	31	41	43	44	47	4	9	15	23	31	55
4	04:33	3	3	Tor	Grabner from Kadri	ES	31	40	43	44			12	15	31	55
4	04:20	3	3	Buf	Bogosian from Kane	ES	2	31	41	47			9	22	31	47
4	04:18	3	3	Buf	Larsson from rebound	ES	2	31	41	47			9	22	31	47
4	01:52	3	3	Buf	Kane wide from Ristolainen	SH	2	31	40	52			9	15	23	31	55
4	01:35	3	3	Buf	Eichel post from Kane	SH	2	31	40	52			9	15	23	31	55

Leafs Player Data

Player	ESChF	ESChA	ESCh%	ESTOI	ZS%	NZ%	ConEnt	OppConEnt
Smith	4	1	80.0%	13:23	33.3%	62.2%	43.5%	35.7%
Greening	4	1	80.0%	11:39	33.3%	59.4%	47.4%	38.5%
Grabner	6	2	75.0%	13:39	83.3%	51.2%	40.9%	19.0%
Michalek	3	1	75.0%	10:07	66.7%	51.7%	40.0%	14.3%
Laich	3	1	75.0%	10:55	33.3%	56.3%	44.4%	42.9%
Holland	3	1	75.0%	12:34	66.7%	54.1%	35.0%	11.8%
Kadri	10	4	71.4%	17:14	60.0%	51.8%	58.6%	48.1%
Boyes	2	1	66.7%	09:59	50.0%	54.8%	35.3%	7.1%
Soshnikov	8	5	61.5%	12:46	62.5%	55.3%	57.1%	52.9%
Komarov	9	6	60.0%	15:58	83.3%	57.1%	53.6%	42.9%
Hyman	4	5	44.4%	15:15	85.7%	54.3%	52.0%	19.0%
Nylander	3	5	37.5%	13:56	66.7%	43.9%	50.0%	30.4%
Marincin	7	1	87.5%	19:16	54.6%	55.2%	40.6%	23.1%
Rielly	10	6	62.5%	20:16	70.0%	56.3%	61.1%	35.7%
Gardiner	6	4	60.0%	19:54	54.6%	50.9%	41.4%	25.0%
Hunwick	11	8	57.9%	22:40	72.7%	56.5%	56.4%	43.3%
Corrado	2	2	50.0%	10:37	71.4%	46.9%	26.7%	23.5%
Carrick	2	2	50.0%	13:33	37.5%	52.6%	45.0%	27.8%

It was a strong night for Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and Nikita Soshnikov, as they matched up against Jack Eichel and Evander Kane, and finished with a big advantage in chances. Kadri was on for ten ES Leaf chances, and his +6 differential led the team. The Leafs had other successful lines as well. Ben Smith and Colin Greening, who were matched up against the Gionta line, shut them down and finished at the top of the table. Milan Michalek, making his Leaf debut, also had good numbers, while Michael Grabner finished at +4 and was effective at preventing controlled entries. William Nylander was one of the few Leafs with a negative differential, partly down to a couple of poor shifts late in the second period.

Martin Marincin had Connor Carrick as a regular partner, but he thrived when with other partners, trying Kadri at +6 in differential, due to strong play against the Gionta line. Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick were also strong, as that top pairing joined the top line in a very effective game against the Buffalo top unit.