Five Takeaways - Leafs at Sabres - 03/05/18

1. Sabres jump out to early advantage, extend it in short order to take 2-0 lead. Toronto was playing the final game of a four-game road trip that had produced just two points and three losses, so the Leafs made some change against the Sabres: winger Matt Martin drew in on the wing, and Connor Carrick replaced Roman Polak on the blueline.

However, the defensive issues that plagued Toronto in their 5-2 loss to Washington Saturday returned Monday in Buffalo. It wasn't all about positioning - the Buds did not have much in the way of good puck luck on this night - but Buffalo jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the 3:43 mark of the first period after opening the scoring 1:53 into regulation time. Sam Reinhart and Jason Pominville respectively produced the first and second goals of the game, leaving a significant hole for the Leafs to dig themselves out from the rest of the way.

Video: TOR@BUF: Komarov buries Nylander's rebound for PPG2. Komarov puts Buds on scoreboard late in first with power play goal, ties game midway through second. Winger Leo Komarov cut the Sabres' lead in half with a goal with 7.6 seconds left in the first, and the veteran netted his second of the night at 10:48 of the second period to even the score at two goals apiece. Komarov's goals were his sixth and seventh of the season, and linemate Martin earned the primary assist on his second goal. That's a great way for Martin to make a good impression with head coach Mike Babcock and remain in the lineup.

3. Buffalo not fazed by Komarov's two-goal effort, score twice late in second to retake two-goal lead. As noted earlier, the Leafs weren't the beneficiaries of good puck luck Monday - Pominville's goal in the first went in off centre Nazem Kadri's skate; and after forward Zemgus Girgensons registered Buffalo's third goal of the game at 13:20 of the second, a Leafs clearing attempt bounced off an official and directly to Sabres centre Ryan O'Reilly, who did not miss and scored his 19th of the year with 4:35 left in the frame.

Once again, the Leafs found themselves down by a pair, and although they couldn't get anyone other than Komarov on the scoresheet before the second intermission, the Buds were victims of some bad bounces that didn't help their cause.

4. Larsson's goal midway through third puts Sabres in comfortable spot.The Leafs dominated the shot counter in the third period - outshooting Buffalo 16-4 in the final frame - but the only goal that came in the first 10 minutes came from Sabres centre Johan Larsson, who made it 5-2 for the home team at 9:55. The play was challenged by Babcock for goalie interference, but the ruling went in favour of Buffalo, and Larsson had his fourth of the year.

A three-goal lead is difficult for any team to overcome, and even more so when you've only got a half-period to do so. But that was Toronto's fate, and despite getting four shots for every one shot the Sabres produced in the period, the Leafs were unable to build enough momentum to win.

Video: TOR@BUF: Marner whips wrister past Johnson for PPG5. Marner nets power play goal, but it's too late to matter as Leafs lose fourth in a row. Winger Mitch Marner has of late been a very productive Leaf offensively, and the sophomore posted his 18th goal of the year - leaving him one goal short of tying the 19 goals he scored for Toronto in 2016-17 - with 2:07 left in the third period. But the goal, which came on the power play and with Toronto's net empty in favour of the extra skater, wasn't enough to prevent the Sabres from hanging on for the victory.

Toronto's loss was its fourth in a row, and the second straight game the Leafs have given up five goals to their opponent. They'll have four days off before their next game, but considering the fact that next game will be against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday at Air Canada Centre, nothing short of a drastic turnaround in the Buds' defensive performance will lead them back to the win column.