Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Nik Antropov scored twice and Jean-Sebastien
Aubin made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season, as the Toronto Maple
Leafs easily defeated the struggling Buffalo Sabres, 7-0, at Air Canada
Centre.
Alexei Ponikarovsky scored a goal and added two assists for the Maple Leafs,
who have won three in a row and five of their last seven overall. Matt Stajan
had a goal and an assist.
Mats Sundin and Alex Steen each contributed two helpers for Toronto, which is
still on the outside looking in at the Eastern Conference playoff race with 76
points and trails Tampa Bay by seven points for the eighth spot with only nine
games remaining.
"You have to keep sharp in this type of game," said Aubin. "When you score
five goals like that, it can be hard to stay in the game. The guys played so
hard in front of me though. As a goaltender, you appreciate an effort like
that."
Ryan Miller started in goal and allowed three goals on six shots in the first
period before being replaced by Martin Biron, who allowed two goals on six
shots. Miller re-entered the game at the start of the second period and ended
the contest with 12 saves.
Despite losing two straight and eight of its last nine games overall, Buffalo
is still holding down the fourth spot in the playoff race with a six-point
lead over fifth-place Philadelphia in the East.
Toronto stormed out of the gate scoring four goals in the first seven minutes
of the contest.
Jeff O'Neill started the barrage for the Leafs scoring just 2:05 into the
game. From the left half wall, Steen centered the puck to O'Neill in the slot
and his wrister beat Miller low on the glove side.
At the 4:49 mark, Ian White kept a clearing attempt in the zone at the right
point and fired a wrister on net that hit off a Buffalo defenseman in front
and grazed off Miller's blocker and into the net for a 2-0 edge.
Thirty-nine seconds after White's goal, tough guy Tie Domi made it a 3-0 game
with his fifth goal of the season. Domi's tally chased Miller from the game as
Biron replaced him.
Less than a minute after Miller was replaced, the Maple Leafs promptly greeted
Biron with a goal as Antropov deflected Sundin's slap shot from the high slot
for a commanding 4-0 lead.
Antropov's ninth tally of the season pushed the Toronto lead to 5-0 with 4:40
remaining in the first period.
After a scoreless middle session, Ponikarovsky's 19th goal of the season made
it a 6-0 game 4:43 into the final frame. The onslaught continued midway
through the third as Stajan netted a power-play goal.
