Sabres snap Leafs’ record home win streak

TORONTO — Jack Eichel scored his second goal of the night midway through the third period as the last-place Buffalo Sabres snapped the Toronto Maple Leafs’ club-record home winning streak at 13 games with a 3-2 National Hockey League victory Monday night.

Casey Nelson had the other goal for Buffalo (24-40-12), which got 39 saves from Chad Johnson to end a four-game slide. Zemgus Girgensons added two assists.

Patrick Marleau, with a goal and an assist, and Nazem Kadri replied for Toronto (45-24-7). Frederik Andersen made 24 stops for the Leafs, who were also looking to set a franchise record for victories in a season with 46.

Eichel snapped a 2-2 at 9:36 of the third when he swept down the left side, fought of Nikita Zaitsev and slipped a backhand through Andersen’s pads for his 24th goal of the season.

After the Maple Leafs turned a

1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead late in the second, the Sabres tied the game at 7:56 of the third when

Nelson scored on a shot from the point through traffic that went off Toronto defenceman Roman

Polak in front. The Maple Leafs challenged for goalie interference, but the call on the ice stood after video review.

Nelson’s third goal of the season came after Toronto had a couple of chances to stretch its lead to 3-1 earlier in the period.

The Leafs pressed to keep their streak going, with James van Riemsdyk seeing his shot stopped by Johnson with under seven minutes to go.

The Leafs pressed late with an extra attacker, but the Sabres held on to hand Toronto its first loss on home ice since Jan. 22.

Down 1-0 after the visitors grabbed an early lead, the Leafs had a number of chances to get even before Kadri finally broke through with 2:29 remaining in the second.

Marleau dislodged the puck from Buffalo defenceman Marco Scandella behind the net on the forecheck before Mitch Marner fed a quick pass in front to Kadri, who beat Johnson to give him back-to-back 30-goal seasons.

Kadri, who scored 32 times in 2016-17, now has eight goals in the past six games at Air Canada Centre.

FRANK GUNN THE CANADIAN PRESS Buffalo Sabres goaltender Chad Johnson swats at a puck in the air during second-period NHL action against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Monday. The Sabres won the game, 3-2.