BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Even without captain Mats Sundin, the
Toronto Maple Leafs are still alive in the playoff chase.
Vesa Toskala stopped 35 shots, and Matt Stajan had a goal, an
assist and prevented a goal by blocking Ales Kotalik's shot headed
for a wide-open net, in a 4-1 win over the perplexing Buffalo
Sabres on Friday night.
"Everybody's written us off when we lost Mats," Stajan said,
referring to Sundin, who missed his third straight game with a
groin injury. "We're not going to die in here. We're going to keep
going until it's over."
The win, the Leafs' fourth in five games, moved Toronto within
five points of Boston for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final
playoff berth. The Maple Leafs also won their fifth straight road
game, the team's best string since closing the 2003-04 season with
a similar run.
The Sabres' playoff push took a hit. In having a three-game
winning streak snapped, Buffalo lost ground, dropping to 10th, a
point behind Washington after the Capitals beat Atlanta.
"We have to take care of our own business," coach Lindy Ruff
said. "There's nothing we can do looking at the outside anymore."
Buffalo was undone by an inept power play, and failed to build
off a 7-4 win against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, a game in which the
Sabres scored six unanswered third-period goals.
Jason Blake and Darcy Tucker scored four minutes apart in the
first period to put the Maple Leafs up 2-0. After Thomas Vanek cut
the deficit to 2-1 in the opening minute of the second, rookie
Anton Stralman regained the Maple Leafs' two-goal edge midway
through the frame by scoring his first career goal. Stajan sealed
the win, converting his own rebound with 7 minutes left.
"We've kind of dug ourselves into a hole," Sabres forward
Jason Pominville said. "We have to make sure we get a good start,
because when you don't get a lead, teams are patient and it's tough
to come back."
It was even tougher for the Sabres to mount a comeback when
their power play failed to produce. Buffalo converted 1-of-8
opportunities and failed to score on three two-man advantages,
including a 2-minute stretch in the second period during which the
Leafs were penalized three times.
"We had our chances, we didn't bear down enough and didn't
execute, and that gave them a little bit of momentum," Sabres
forward Drew Stafford said.
Toskala did his part, stopping 28 shots through 40 minutes, and
then making two key saves in the third period - both times foiling
Pominville.
Toskala's most acrobatic save came with 10:50 left, when he got
a piece of Pominville's hard and bouncing shot from the right
boards, but the puck had enough momentum to dribble past him.
Toskala reached back with his stick and swept the puck out of the
crease inches before it crossed the goal line.
With 3 minutes left, Toskala made a key glove save, stopping
Pominville on a short-handed breakaway.
Give Stajan an assist, too, in the goaltending department.
With Toskala out of position after stopping Derek Roy from in
close, Stajan kicked out his shin to deflect Kotalik's shot during
Buffalo's two-man advantage early in the second period.
Anything to help.
"I think Vesa makes enough saves for us," said Stajan, who was
credited with four blocked shots.
Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice sensed the boost his team got in
winning a game without not only Sundin, but also Nik Antropov
(knee) and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (groin).
"That's a great confidence-booster, and I don't think you can
manufacture that kind of confidence that comes from success like
that," Maurice said.
Notes: Sabres C Tim Connolly's season is over after the team
announced he'll have surgery next week to remove bone spurs in his
hip that have been nagging him for the past three months. ... The
Leafs, 7-0-1 in their past eight road games, play at Ottawa on
Saturday. ... Pominville had an assist on Vanek's goal, extending
his point streak to four games (three goals, seven assists).