Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist as the Buffalo Sabres stunned the uninspired Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Wednesday night to snap a six-game losing streak.
Jacob Bryson, Victor Olofsson, Tage Thompson and Kyle Okposo also scored for Buffalo (17-30-8), which got 29 saves from Craig Anderson. Dylan Cozens added two assists.
Rasmus Sandin replied for Toronto (35-15-4). Petr Mrazek stopped 26 shots.
The Leafs, who had won three straight, played in front of 17,122 fans — the first home date with the potential for full capacity since Dec. 11 after provincial COVID-19 capacity restrictions were eased Tuesday.
WATCH | Buffalo snaps Toronto’s 3-game win streak:
Buffalo Sabres defensively shut down Leafs holding them to a single goal, defeat Toronto 5-1. 0:47
The vast majority went home unhappy with frowns under their masks on a night where the home side was second-best against a team that had surrendered 28 goals during its ugly slide.
Toronto, which hosted Buffalo for the first time since December 2019, will get another crack at the Sabres when the teams play outdoors March 13 at Hamilton’s Tim Hortons Field in the Heritage Classic.
Olofsson snapped a 1-1 tie at 12:19 of the second period when Rasmus Asplund’s shot hit Sandin in front and fell kindly for the Buffalo winger to fire home his eighth goal of the season.
Anderson, a 40-year-old in his 19th NHL season, didn’t have a lot to do up until that point, but stopped Pierre Engvall’s breakaway and rebound effort moments later to keep the visitors in front.
Olofsson then fired a shot off Mrazek’s post that stayed out, but the Toronto goaltender was beaten by Thompson’s quick strike from the slot with 1:29 left in the period after Sandin got stripped by Skinner.
The goal was Thompson’s 23rd of the campaign, and ninth in nine games.
The Sabres put any thought of a Toronto comeback to rest at 6:39 of the third when Skinner stepped past Sandin and moved in alone before firing his 21st past Mrazek.
Okposo made it 5-1 at 11:50 with his 14th after some nice work by Cozens behind the net before under-fire Mrazek got a Bronx cheer on his next save from the Leafs’ frustrated faithful.
Toronto responded at 11:48 when Sandin, who scored the winner in Monday’s 5-3 road victory against the Washington Capitals and was elevated to the top defence pair alongside Rielly, buried his second goal in as many games off a slick pass from Michael Bunting for his fourth.
Toronto’s struggling power play, which still sat No. 1 in the NHL despite going 0 for 12 over the last six games heading into Wednesday, got a chance early in the second, but Auston Matthews saw his stick explode on the best chance before Buffalo scored twice to take control.
While vaccine requirements were dropped as part of Ontario’s relaxed coronavirus restrictions, fans were required to wear masks when not actively eating or drinking – a directive some adhered to, but many did not.
Notes: Toronto winger Mitch Marner played the 400th regular-season NHL game of his career. … The Leafs beat the Sabres 5-4 in Buffalo on Nov. 13. … Toronto played its last three home contests prior to Wednesday at half capacity.
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