At the Horn | Sabres 9 - Maple Leafs 3

Jordan Greenway and Jeff Skinner both returned from injuries and scored during the first period for the Buffalo Sabres, who added five unanswered goals during the second and third periods to win 9-3 over the Toronto Maple Leafs inside KeyBank Center on Thursday.

The Sabres received goals from seven different scorers: Greenway, Owen Power, Skinner, Rasmus Dahlin, Kyle Okposo, and Jack Quinn.

Alex Tuch (0+4), Thompson (1+2), Skinner (2+1), Okposo (2+0), Connor Clifton (0+2), and Zach Benson (0+2) all had multi-point outings.

Devon Levi made 25 saves to earn the win.

The Sabres, coming off a 9-4 loss to Columbus at home on Tuesday, scored a season-high three goals during the first period. The Maple Leafs scored shorthanded to cut their deficit to 4-3 at the 5:42 mark of the second period, after which the Sabres ran away with five unanswered.

The win was Buffalo’s second in as many tries against Toronto this season. The rivals have two meetings remaining this season, the next of which will be played in Toronto on March 6.

SCORING SUMMARY

Period 1, 2:27 – Jordan Greenway from Connor Clifton and Zach Benson (1-0, BUF)

The Sabres opened the scoring for the second straight game when Greenway – playing for the first time since Dec. 3 due to an upper-body injury – beat Samsonov with a shot from the left faceoff circle.

Clifton carried the puck through the neutral zone and hit Greenway with an entry pass for his sixth assist in the last eight games.

Period 1, 7:28 – Auston Matthews unassisted (1-1)

The Maple Leafs tied the game on a sneaky shot from Matthews, who spun to deliver an attempt from the corner of the offensive zone that went in five-hole for his NHL-leading 26th goal of the season.

Period 1, 12:39 (PP) – Max Domi from Morgan Rielly and Timothy Liljegren (2-1, TOR)

Toronto took its first and only lead of the game on a power-play goal from Domi, whose shot from the top of the right faceoff circle deflected off net-front traffic on its way into the net.

Period 1, 13:44 – Owen Power from Zach Benson and Casey Mittelstadt (2-2)

The Sabres trailed for just 1:05 before a give-and-go between Okposo and Mittelstadt created an odd-man rush. Mittelstadt passed across to Benson, whose attempt at a return pass deflected off Samsonov and onto the stick of Power. The defenseman sent a backhand shot into the open net.

Period 1, 15:51 – Jeff Skinner from Alex Tuch (3-2, BUF)

Skinner, returning from a three-game absence stemming from an upper-body injury, scored his first of two goals to send the Sabres into the first intermission with a lead they would never relinquish.

Tuch made the play possible by intercepting a pass from Mitchell Marner along the half wall in the offensive zone. Tuch made a quick pass to Skinner, who scored from the side of the net.

Period 2, 4:44 (PP) – Rasmus Dahlin from Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch (4-2, BUF)

Dahlin drove to the net and drew a holding call against Simon Benoit, after which JJ Peterka drew a trip against Noah Gregor to give the Sabres a 5-on-3 power play. It took just nine seconds into the two-man advantage for Dahlin to roof a shot from the high slot with Tuch screening Samsonov.

The goal – which would stand as the winner – was the 55th of Dahlin’s career, moving him into a tie with Alexei Zhitnik for fifth among defensemen in Sabres history.

Period 2, 5:42 (SH) – Calle Jarnkrok from William Nylander and Timothy Liljegren (4-3, BUF)

Toronto had one last response. The Sabres remained on the power play following Dahlin’s goal, but shorthanded 2-on-1 rush saw Nylander get a pass across to Jarnkrok, who scored at the back door.

Period 2, 8:22 – Tage Thompson from Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner (5-3, BUF)

Thompson received the puck in the left faceoff circle, faked as if he were going to pass, and ripped a shot to the far-side past Samsonov to give the Sabres a quick response and momentum they would carry for the remainder of the night.

The goal chased Samsonov, who was replaced by Martin Jones after stopping 14 of 19 shots.

Period 2, 11:04 (SH) – Kyle Okposo unassisted (6-3, BUF)

Jones’ first shot faced came on a shorthanded breakaway from Okposo, who roofed his attempt from the left circle into the far-side corner as two defenders closed in from behind.

Period 3, 11:08 – Jack Quinn from JJ Peterka and Connor Clifton (7-3, BUF)

Quinn, playing his second game of the season after recovering from offseason surgery on his Achilles’ tendon, parked at the backdoor and buried a feed through the blue paint from Peterka.

Period 3, 12:23 – Jeff Skinner from Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson (8-3, BUF)

Thompson received the puck behind the net and found Tuch in front. Tuch made a quick pass to Skinner, who scored his second goal of the night from the slot.

Period 3, 15:02 – Kyle Okposo from Peyton Krebs and Ryan Johnson (9-3, BUF)

The Sabres scored for the third time in a span of 3:54 when Okposo and Krebs combined to force a turnover in the Toronto zone, freeing the puck for Okposo to score his second of the night from the inside edge of the left faceoff circle.

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The Sabres visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 7 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7:30. Radio coverage can be found on WBEN 930 AM.