The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to face off against the Buffalo Sabres tonight at KeyBank Center, marking their first trip down the QEW this season. The puck drops at 7:00 PM ET, a change from the originally scheduled 7:30 PM ET to accommodate Game 1 of the World Series being held in Toronto.
After a disappointing 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs are looking to bounce back on the road. Currently sitting fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 3-3-1 record, the team is aiming to improve its standing. Meanwhile, the Sabres are hoping to extend their winning streak after a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, having won three of their last four games.
Head Coach Craig Berube has shaken up the lines in an effort to ignite the team's offense. William Nylander will be joining Auston Matthews on the top line, a duo that has shown promise in the past. Berube has also challenged Nylander to increase his shot output.
However, the Maple Leafs will be without key defenseman Morgan Rielly, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury. Rielly, who has been a significant offensive contributor from the blue line with two goals and four assists this season, is considered day-to-day, and his potential return for Saturday's game against the Sabres is uncertain. Chris Tanev is also out, having been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. As a result, Philippe Myers and Dakota Mermis are expected to make their season debuts.
With Rielly and Tanev out, the Maple Leafs' defensive pairings are expected to be Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo, Dakota Mermis - Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers, although these pairings could change.
Anthony Stolarz is the projected starting goalie for the Maple Leafs.
The Sabres' projected lineup includes Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, Tage Thompson, Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, Alex Tuch, Jason Zucker, Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn. Alex Lyon is expected to start in goal for Buffalo. Key players Jacob Bryson, Justin Danforth, Josh Norris, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Michael Kesselring and Jordan Greenway are currently injured.
The Maple Leafs have had the upper hand in recent matchups, winning their last five games against the Sabres and averaging 4.5 goals in their last four encounters. Despite this, the Sabres are considered slight home underdogs with the potential to win.
The game is available on HULU, ESPN+, SN1, and TVAS.
