Sabres take down Maple Leafs in Power's debut

TORONTO — Sheldon Keefe took at least one positive from Tuesday — the Maple Leafs have seen the last of their closest geographic rival this season.

Other than that, Toronto's head coach can't turn the page quick enough.

Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist as the Buffalo Sabres downed the disinterested Leafs 5-2 to take the season series 3-1-0 against a playoff-bound opponent that began the night 37 points clear in the standings.

"It wasn't good," said Keefe, whose club escaped Buffalo with a 5-4 victory in November, but lost the next three meetings. "We've been no-shows in all four (games).

"It's hard to pinpoint."

Sabres defenceman Owen Power — the No. 1 pick at the 2021 draft — made his NHL debut after signing an entry-level contract last week. The six-foot-six blue-liner spent two seasons with the Michigan Wolverines before turning pro following his school's defeat in the NCAA's Frozen Four tournament.

"I was pretty calm, but obviously there were some nerves," the native of nearby Mississauga, Ont., said after finishing with nearly 20 minutes of ice time and a plus-2 rating. "This is something you dream of as a kid."

"Tremendous job," Buffalo head coach Don Granato said of the 19-year-old. "I had no doubt he's rehearsed being in this building and being in this league many times.

"And it looked like it."

The Leafs, meanwhile, could well look back at these games against the rebuilding Sabres – and a string of disappointing performances versus some of the league's other lesser lights – if they're unable secure home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Performances like Tuesday are also the reason Toronto is no longer realistically in the race for first in the Atlantic Division with the Florida Panthers.