Alex Tuch returns to score 30th, Sabres snap skid with win in Toronto

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)-- Alex Tuch made up for lost time and showed how much the Sabres missed his presence in the lineup.

Tuch returned to Buffalo's leading line after a two-week injury lack and scored twice in Monday night's 4-3 win at Toronto, snapping the Sabres' four-game skid and offering Tuch 30 objectives in a season for the first time in his profession.

" I enjoy playing on this team," Tuch stated. I missed it, that's for sure."

Dylan Cozens raised his career-high tally to 26 goals, Jack Quinn scored his 13th, while 2 other rookies, JJ Peterka and Owen Power each tallied 2 helps, and Craig Anderson made 25 saves for the Sabres (33-28-5). Going beyond last season's triumph overall in 16 fewer games, the Sabres now have 71 points in the standings, five behind the New York Islanders, 2 back of the Florida Panthers, and connected with the Washington Capitals in the race for the last wild-card playoff area.

Opening a three-game journey in Toronto, the Sabres play at Washington on Wednesday and Philadelphia on Friday.

Buffalo went 2-5-1 while Tuch was parked on the reserve list with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot with his foot in a Feb. 24 win at Florida. Having actually scored the definitive objective against the Panthers, Tuch can set a franchise record if he nets the game-winner against the Capitals. Over his past 6 video games, Tuch has 6 objectives and 3 helps.

With Tuch back on the wing, the Sabres returned Quinn to the second line beside Cozens, moved new acquisition Jordan Greenway to the third line, and scratched Victor Olofsson, who has a career-high 24 goals this season, but has actually scored just when while tallying 3 assists over the past 17 video games.

Auston Matthews had a goal and 2 helps, and William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok also scored for Toronto. Mitch Marner had 2 helps and Matt Murray stopped 25 shots.

After falling behind 2-0 early in the 2nd period, the Sabres scored four consecutive goals over a 27-minute stretch.

Quinn batting the puck past Murray for the novice forward's 13th to get the Sabres on the scoreboard with 5:02 left in the second.

Anderson made a nice breakaway stop on Nylander on Toronto's next shot early in the third-- the Leafs went over 17 minutes without testing the Sabres' goalie-- prior to Tuch tied things at 3:39.

Murray rejected Tage Thompson on a break to keep Toronto level, however Cozens provided Buffalo a 3-2 lead near the midpoint of the period for his 26th.

With the Sabres on a power play, Tuch converted a pass from Jeff Skinner with 8:41 left for his second of the night and first 30-goal season.

The Maple Leafs lastly got up as the duration wore on, but Anderson stopped Michael Bunting on a 2-on-0 with John Tavares. Nylander scored his 35th from a tight angle with 1:01 staying, but that's as close as Toronto would come in spite of a wild final few seconds.

Playing his 38th career game against the Maple Leafs, Anderson was likewise sharp in a first period that consisted of a number of good search for Matthews, who can be found in with 13 goals in 16 contests versus the 41-year-old.

Matthews eventually connected early in the second. After Marner and Alexander Kerfoot moved in on a 2-on-1, the latter booted the puck with his skate into the path of Matthews for him to chip his 31st upstairs.

When he fired five-hole for his 15th, jarnkrok then doubled the advantage just over 3 minutes later.

ANTHEM AUDIBLE

A sound concern at Scotiabank Arena meant there was no audio for the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to puck drop, but fans actioned in a cappella-style and vocalized the U.S. national anthem before the issue was repaired in time for "O Canada."

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Jonah Bronstein joined the News 4 roster in 2022 as a digital sports press reporter. Read more of his work here.

The Associated Press added to this report.