Buffalo, NY – Derek Roy scored two goals, including the game- winner at 3:29 of overtime as the Buffalo Sabres claimed two huge points and kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at First Niagara Center.
Skating with a 4-on-3 power play, Sabres forward Thomas Vanek ripped a shot on net from the left circle that was kicked out by Toronto netminder Ben Scrivens, but he failed to control the rebound, and Roy fired it home from the slot.
Alexander Sulzer scored twice and added an assist while Jordan Leopold and Tyler Ennis also found the back of the net for the Sabres, who have won six of their last eight games. Ryan Miller posted 20 stops in the win.
With the victory, the Sabres pulled even with the idle Washington Capitals for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot with just two games remaining in the regular season. Buffalo, though, still sits in ninth place via a tiebreaker.
Tyler Bozak finished with two goals and an assist, Matt Frattin had a goal and an assist, while Clarke MacArthur and Jake Gardiner also scored for the Leafs, who have lost four of five. Scrivens was touched for all six tallies on 45 shots.
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