The Buffalo Sabres enter the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs looking for a postseason spot, while the Maple Leafs likely know where they will land in the playoffs. Buffalo is coming in off a convincing, come-from-behind 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. This win allowed the Sabres to close the gap in the playoff race, putting them six points behind the Washington Capitals for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Last night, Tage Thompson put up a four-goal game to lead his team. Although the Sabres have a quick turnaround and are playing their third game in three nights, they are riding a way of momentum and are also pushed by the desperation of needing to chalk up some wins to stay in the race.
Related: Maple Leafs’ 3-Step Plan to Postseason Success
On the other end of the rink, the Maple Leafs are coming off a solid 5-1 win over the Capitals on Thursday. That victory was a strong rebound effort after being called out by head coach Sheldon Keefe after a stinker of a game against the Devils on Tuesday.
The Maple Leafs will be missing some key players, yet they still can ice a strong team. Furthermore, Auston Matthews is looking for goal number 60, so he should fly around the ice. The Maple Leafs hope to maintain their momentum and build confidence as they finish their last 10 games of the regular season.
Item One: Three Things Maple Leafs Fans Should Watch for Against the Sabres
First, Thompson is confident after his stellar four-goal game against New Jersey. If he fancies himself a wanna-be future competition for Matthews as a goal scorer in the NHL, he’ll want to show the current goal leader what he can do. He’ll likely be motivated to continue to score against the Maple Leafs. Thompson could come out strong to build on his scoring streak.
Related: Sabres’ 3 Best Players From the “Buffaslug” Era
Second, the Sabres are on a quick turnaround and that matters. After playing their third game in four nights, they could be out of both physical and emotional gas, each almost life-or-death for their postseason hopes. The game doesn’t shape up to be low-scoring. Fans should watch how the Sabres manage their energy tonight. Because Devon Levi played last night, they’ll start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen tonight. He’s growing into a solid young goalie.
Third, fans should be interested to see how the Maple Leafs respond to their yo-yo last two games. They were down after the Devils’ loss but responded well in their previous game at home against Washington. Which Maple Leafs team will show up tonight?
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
As the regular season winds down, this game means different things to both teams. The Sabres are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Maple Leafs are fighting for respect, to allow their young players to gain more experience, and to build their team’s mojo as it enters the postseason.
Item Two: Ilya Samsonov Gets First Start Since His Injury
Ilya Samsonov will be back between the pipes tonight. This marks Samsonov’s first start in four games after being sidelined briefly with an initially scary calf contusion. Samsonov has been solid recently. He now has a respectable record of 19-6-7 on the season. However, his 3.12 goals-against average and .889 save percentage might never hit respectability because of his deep tank during December.
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Samsonov will carry good and bad memories into tonight’s game against the Sabres. Early in March, he had a solid game against Buffalo, making 24 saves in a 2-1 overtime win. Yet, in December, the Sabres were part of his horrible month. He allowed five goals on only 19 shots in a 9-3 Sabres blowout win, which might have been his low point of the 2023-24 season. He’s looking to continue the form he’s been showing in his most recent games.
Item Three: Neither Marner Nor Rielly Will Play Tonight
In tonight’s game against the Sabres, the Maple Leafs will be without two key players as they continue to manage injuries. Mitch Marner will remain out with his ankle injury. While he’s been skating, the team is cautious with his recovery. Bobby McMann has been filling in for Marner in his top-six role.
Additionally, Morgan Rielly will miss his third straight game as he recovers from an upper-body injury. Rielly has been progressing and is expected to return to the ice in the next day or so. With Rielly sitting, the Maple Leafs have been leaning heavily on players like Simon Benoit and Conor Timmins on defense.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Speaking of Benoit, there’s good news from the Maple Leafs organization. Since my last post, Benoit signed a significant contract extension with Toronto. His new contract is for three years and is worth $4.05 million. The young 25-year-old defenseman came in during the offseason as someone who would start with the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies but has earned the organization’s confidence.
Benoit has been a consistent presence for the Maple Leafs this season, appearing in 54 games and demonstrating his defensive abilities on the ice. He’s a simple, move-the-puck and play-the-body stay-at-home defenseman. He doesn’t contribute much offensively and has put up only one goal and four assists this season. However, Benoit’s value lies in his defensive skills and physical play. He has compiled an impressive 204 hits and 82 blocks during the season and can disrupt opponents and protect the net.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Defense: Better or Worse for 2023-24?
With his contract extension, Benoit solidifies his place in the Maple Leafs organization. He’s been part of the changing face of the team since new general manager Brad Treliving took over. The team heads into the postseason with a new look. Will they fare better than they have in the past few seasons?