Matthews Leads Maple Leafs Into High-Stakes Clash With Sabres
Tonight, fans are in for an exciting showdown as the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Both teams are hovering around .500 early in the season, with Toronto sitting at 3-3-1 and Buffalo slightly behind at 3-4-0. But while the records might look similar, recent trends suggest this game could tilt heavily in one direction.
The Maple Leafs are entering the matchup after a couple of tough losses, and they’ll be counting on their star captain Auston Matthews to spark a bounce-back performance. Matthews has historically thrived against Buffalo, scoring nine goals and adding four assists across his last eight games against the Sabres, including a memorable hat trick. This game offers him an ideal opportunity to add to his season totals, which currently include four goals in seven games.
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Toronto’s projected lineup features Bobby McMann, Matthews, and William Nylander up front, with Matthew Knies, John Tavares, and Matias Maccelli forming the second line. The third line will see Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, and Easton Cowan, while Steven Lorentz, Max Domi, and Calle Jarnkrok complete the fourth. Defensively, Brandon Carlo pairs with Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit is with Philippe Myers, and Dakota Mermis partners with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Anthony Stolarz will start in goal, with Cayden Primeau backing him up. Notably, Morgan Rielly and Scott Laughton will miss the game due to injury, despite Rielly taking part in the optional morning skate.
On the Buffalo side, the Sabres are riding high after a dominant 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. They’re expected to counter with Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, and Tage Thompson leading the first line, while Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, and Alex Tuch anchor the second. Jason Zucker returns after leaving Wednesday’s game early due to injury, joining Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn on the third line. Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak, and Beck Malenstyn form the fourth. The defensive pairings are Bowen Byram with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power with Conor Timmins, and Mattias Samuelsson with Zach Metsa, while Alex Lyon will start in goal.
While Buffalo has momentum, history is on Toronto’s side. The Sabres have struggled to score against the Maple Leafs in recent seasons, managing one goal or fewer in three of the last five meetings. The Leafs’ defense has been tightened, and Matthews’ presence makes them a formidable opponent.
Expect a high-energy, competitive game that could swing either way, but Toronto’s experience and offensive firepower make them favorites to bounce back. Tonight’s Battle of the QEW promises plenty of thrills for hockey fans, with the spotlight squarely on Matthews to lead the charge and lift the Maple Leafs to a much-needed victory over their upstate rivals.
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