Toronto @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 17, 2019 ) Buffalo 3, Toronto 5

The Toronto Maple Leafs aim to record consecutive victories for the first time in two weeks on Sunday when they visit the Buffalo Sabres. The Maple Leafs, who have won two of the three meetings with Buffalo this season, improved to 3-1-1 in their last five games overall following a 4-2 victory over Ottawa on Saturday.

Toronto's Auston Matthews, who leads the team in goals (42) and points (71), posted his 23rd multi-point performance of the season after scoring and setting up a goal on Saturday. The former top overall pick tallied twice in the Maple Leafs' 5-3 win over Buffalo on Dec. 17. Sabres captain Jack Eichel collected a goal and an assist in that contest and has three of each against Toronto this season. "The emotions will automatically be there because it's Toronto and the environment should be a good one," the 23-year-old Eichel said on Saturday. "It's an important game for both sides. Obviously, we're trying to find points any way we can and put ourselves in the best position moving forward and they're the same way."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: MSG-Buffalo, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (31-20-8): Captain John Tavares carries a seven-game point streak (five goals, five assists) into Sunday's tilt after setting up William Nylander's second-period goal against the Senators. Zach Hyman is sporting a five-game point streak (three goals, three assists) after setting up Matthews' first-period goal and has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 11 games against Atlantic Division adversaries this season. Mitch Marner scored on Saturday to boost his point total to nine (two goals, seven assists) in February.

ABOUT THE SABRES (26-24-8): Rookie Victor Olofsson made a triumphant return from a 15-game absence due to a lower-body injury by capping a two-goal performance with an overtime tally in a 4-3 win over Columbus on Thursday. Marcus Johansson sat out that contest with an upper-body injury, but he returned to practice on Saturday and was champing at the bit to get back in the lineup. "This is a big game for us," the 29-year-old Johansson said. "It's starting to be that time of year. Every game is big, and we want to make a push and see where it takes us. Tomorrow is huge. We kind of have to look at it with a little bit of a playoff mentality and go out and give it everything we got. That's how you got to see every shift in every game now."

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo D Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in his last 14 games.

2. Maple Leafs G Frederik Andersen owns a 12-3-0 record with one shutout, a 2.29 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 16 career starts with the Sabres.

3. Buffalo D Zach Bogosian was assigned to Rochester of the American Hockey League after clearing waivers on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Maple Leafs 3