Sabres vs. Maple Leafs | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

The Buffalo Sabres open their final homestand of the season with a visit from the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

The Sabres are coming off a 0-2-1 road trip, which concluded with a 7-4 loss in Tampa on Sunday. Players spoke postgame about the importance of finishing the season strong at home, where they’ve won seven straight games and are 15-4-0 since the start of January.

“These last two home games are really big,” Peyton Krebs said. “We want to show our home crowd what we’ve got and end the season on a good note.”

The puck drops at 7. Here’s what you need to know in the meantime.

How to watch

TV (Buffalo broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Streaming (out of market): ESPN+

Radio: WGR 550

Click here for more ways to watch Sabres games.

Lineup notes (updated 6:35 p.m.)

Owen Power is done for the season after sustaining a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game in Florida, coach Lindy Ruff said. Jacob Bryson joined the lineup in Power’s place on Sunday in Tampa.

Forward Beck Malenstyn is unavailable due to an undisclosed injury. Isak Rosen, recalled from Rochester on Tuesday, takes his spot on the left side.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen occupied the starter's net at the morning skate, after which Ruff said "we need him to finish the year strong."

Storylines

1. Milestones within reach for Tuch

Alex Tuch enters Tuesday with 109 blocked shots – just two shy of tying Mathieu Dandenault’s single-season record for an NHL forward since the statistic started being tracked during the 2005-06 season.

Tuch is also one goal away from matching his career-high total (36), which he established during the 2022-23 season. He’s scored eight goals in the last 10 games.

Tuch is the first player to score 35 goals and record 100 blocked in the same season since the latter statistic started being tracked. Only two others have even scored 30 goals with 100 blocked shots: defensemen Mike Green (in 2008-09) and Cale Makar (this season).

2. Scouting the Maple Leafs

Toronto is looking to clinch the Atlantic Division, entering Tuesday with a four-point lead over second-place Tampa Bay and two games left to play.

The Maple Leafs are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. Mitch Marner leads the team and is tied for fifth in the NHL with 99 points while William Nylander ranks second in the league with 45 goals.

Buffalo dropped its previous two matchups with Toronto this season, both of which were played during a six-day span in December. John Tavares paced both teams with five points (3+2) across the two games.

Game notes

1. Ruff remains one victory shy of becoming the fifth coach in NHL history to reach 900 career regular-season wins.

2. Rasmus Dahlin has 16 points (5+11) in his last 12 games. His 68 points this season rank fourth among NHL defensemen.

3. Jack Quinn has 11 points (4+7) in his last 11 games.