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Toronto had a slow start in the last game of March, falling behind in the first period against the Sabres and struggling to dig themselves out of it.

Cal O’Reilly’s second goal opened the lead to three, and Toronto only managed a single goal in response.

The Sabres had a narrow lead in Corsi going into the third period, but the Leafs managed to pull ahead in the end as they went for the victory. The chances were much more one-sided, as Toronto were clearly out-chanced at even strength and didn’t manage a single chance while the game was close. The neutral zone battle ended up pretty much even.

TeamChances1st2nd3rdESESCloseESCh%NZEnt%ContEnt
Tor140957035.0%50.4%40.0%
Buf1686213665.0%49.6%40.6%

Toronto didn’t have a single chance in the first period, and didn’t threaten to score until almost the halfway point of the game, by which point they were down 3-0. The Leafs did out-chance Buffalo after that, winning the second half of the game 13-5, but the damage had already been done.

PeriodTimeSTSOTeamHowStateT1T2T3T4T5T6O1O2O3O4O5O6
118:0100BufLarsson from loose puckES15293138394831222313482
112:5100BufGOAL! Larsson drivesES183140434452122229314782
112:1701BufFoligno drivesES152931383948122229314782
112:0901BufEichel from RistolainenSH3140445256151923315590
103:4201BufEichel drivesES28313839485141523314455
102:1501BufFasching from R O'ReillyES20313742465141931525590
102:0301BufGirgensons wide from reboundES203137424651283134525590
100:1901BufGOAL! C O'Reilly from EichelSH3140445256151923315590
216:1902BufGOAL! C O'Reilly drivesES23282931515641719263155
214:4703BufLarsson drivesES18203140435141222315582
212:1303BufR O'Reilly post from RistolainenSH2331404452151923315590
212:0703TorGrabner drivesSH2331404452151923315590
209:5103TorMichalek deflects Campbell shot wideES18293142434842831445582
208:4103TorKapanen from NylanderPP153137383951322315590
208:0003TorNylander wide from ParenteauPP1531373839511729314790
207:5203TorParenteau wide from GardinerPP1531373839511729314790
207:3903BufGorges drivesES29313738395141729314790
207:3403BufC O'Reilly from reboundES29313738395141729314790
206:2803TorGOAL! Laich from LindbergES23314446525641523263155
205:0813TorLindberg from BozakES313742444652282931475290
204:3513BufFoligno wraparoundES18293140434841222315582
200:1813TorGreening from reboundES29313839445631523293144
200:1713TorFroese from NylanderES29313839445631523293144
319:0913TorBozak drivesES313742444651222931525582
316:2213BufFasching wraparoundES293137424648282931475290
314:1413BufEichel drives wideES152931383948152629314447
312:3413TorGardiner drivesES20313742465142831525590
306:4513TorBoyes from NylanderPP1828313943441722293147
301:1313TorParenteau from RiellyEN1537383944511222293147
301:1213TorKapanen from reboundEN153738394451122229314782

Leafs Player Data

PlayerESChFESChAESCh%ESTOIZS%NZ%ConEntOppConEnt
Froese3175.0%08:5125.0%50.0%18.8%43.8%
Bozak4357.1%14:3554.6%55.9%36.8%26.7%
Lindberg4357.1%13:1862.5%52.9%33.3%25.0%
Laich1150.0%07:5525.0%50.0%13.3%46.7%
Kapanen3537.5%14:1166.7%53.1%35.3%40.0%
Greening2625.0%14:1266.7%51.2%50.0%42.9%
Nylander2625.0%13:2866.7%46.2%50.0%47.6%
Michalek1325.0%13:3550.0%45.0%50.0%45.5%
Kadri1325.0%12:2450.0%52.8%52.6%41.2%
Parenteau030.0%12:1175.0%55.0%45.5%38.9%
Boyes020.0%08:1440.0%43.5%20.0%38.5%
Grabner030.0%10:2157.1%45.2%57.1%41.2%
Rielly5183.3%15:3540.0%55.3%42.3%38.1%
Marincin2166.7%14:3950.0%54.5%37.5%35.0%
Brennan3827.3%14:4075.0%42.0%19.0%37.9%
Corrado1325.0%16:4337.5%54.5%50.0%45.0%
Gardiner2722.2%18:3440.0%50.0%60.9%43.5%
Campbell1614.3%13:5369.2%46.9%26.1%46.2%

Tobias Lindberg made his NHL debut, playing with Kasperi Kapanen and Tyler Bozak on a fairly effective Toronto unit. Mostly up against Ryan O’Reilly’s line, Bozak and Lindberg were two of only three forwards to finish above even in chances. The other was Byron Froese, who was mostly on the fourth line but had a couple of strong shifts away from Brad Boyes and Brooks Laich. William Nylander matched up against Jack Eichel, along with Colin Greening, and they ended up the most outchanced forwards on the team, both finishing at -4. Nazem Kadri had a quiet night up mostly against Brian Gionta, as Kadri, Milan Michalek and Michael Grabner all finished in the negative.

Morgan Rielly and Martin Marincin were the strongest pairing on a rough night for the Leafs defence, as they were on for only one ES chance against. The other pairings both struggled. T.J. Brennan and Andrew Campbell were in for the first time, and both were badly out-chanced at -5. Jake Gardiner also finished at -5, although he did have strong controlled entry numbers.