Jack Eichel scores twice in Buffalo’s 4th straight defeat.
By Heather Engel / NHL.com Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Auston Matthews scored his second goal of the game with 2.7 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.
Jake Gardiner and Patrick Marleau scored for the Maple Leafs (20-8-0), who have won five straight games. Frederik Andersen made 38 saves.
Matthews has 15 goals in 14 games this season.
Jack Eichel scored twice, and Sam Reinhart had a goal for the Sabres (17-8-4), who have lost four straight following their 10-game winning streak. Linus Ullmark made 26 saves.
Matthews made a leaping grab of a deflected Ron Hainsey shot and brought it down for the wraparound to give Toronto a 1-0 lead at 8:33 of the second period.
Reinhart tipped Nathan Beaulieu’s point shot at 14:01 to tie the game 1-1.
The Maple Leafs went ahead 2-1 with 9.6 seconds remaining in the first on Gardiner’s goal. Mitchell Marner sent a cross-ice pass to John Tavares, who left a drop pass for Gardiner in the bottom of the right face-off circle.
Eichel tied it 2-2 at 2:39 of the third when he one-timed Rasmus Ristolainen’s pass from the left circle.
Eichel capitalized on a Maple Leafs turnover to put the Sabres ahead 3-2 at 12:57 with a shot from slot.
Marleau tied it 3-3 with 5:13 remaining, taking a rebound off the end boards and beating Ullmark short side.
Up next
The Sabres will seek to end their 4-game skid as they play host to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at 1 pm.