Anderson, Sabres beat Maple Leafs 5-1 to snap 6-game skid

TORONTO (AP) — Craig Anderson made 29 saves, Victor Olofsson and Tage Thompson scored in the second period and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Wednesday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Toronto played at home in from of a full crowd for the first time since Dec. 11 after Ontario eased COVID-19 capacity restrictions Tuesday.

Jacob Bryson, Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo also scored to help Buffalo finish off a five-game trip. Seventh in the Atlantic Division, the Sabres improved to 17-30-8 — nine points ahead of last-place Montreal.

Rasmus Sandin scored for Toronto, and Petr Mrazek stopped 26 shots. The Maple Leafs had won three in a row. Third in the Atlantic, they fell to 35-15-4.

Olofsson gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead off a rebound with 7:41 remaining in the second, and Thompson made it 3-1 with 1:29 left in the period.

The 6-foot-7 Thompson controlled the puck in the slot, spun and beat Mrazek. Thompson has 23 goals in 51 games this season after scoring 18 goals in his first 145 NHL games.

Skinner and Okposo scored in the third. Skinner has 21 goals, and Okposo 14.

Bryson opened the scoring at 2:26 of the first period with Toronto's Alexander Kerfoot off for tripping. Bryson scored for first time this season and the second in 84 career NHL games.

Sandin tied it with 8:12 left in the first period. Mitch Marner, playing his 400th NHL game, assisted on the goal.

NOTES: The 40-year-old Anderson is in his 19th NHL season. ... Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews remained tied with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the NHL goals lead with 37. ... Toronto dropped to 19-6-1 at home. ... The teams will meet again outdoors March 13 at Hamilton’s Tim Hortons Field in the Heritage Classic.

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Sabres: Host Minnesota on Friday night.

Maple Leafs: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.