NHL
Scores/Schedules
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Weekly lineup
Video Highlights

  Monday, Dec. 6 7:30pm ET
Thomas' 10th OT goal is one for the books
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

TORONTO (AP) -- After a long career, Steve Thomas is finally in the record book.

Steve Thomas, Mats Sundin, Bryan Berard
Toronto players, from left, Bryan Berard, Cory Cross and Mats Sundin swarm Steve Thomas, right, after he scored the winning goal in overtime against Buffalo.

And now he has to prove it too.

"You have 10 overtime goals now?" Thomas was asked after beating goalie Dwayne Roloson from the slot 1:05 into overtime to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Thomas was quick to reply.

"Yeah, check the press notes they give you before games," he said. "I was tied with Mario Lemieux. I'm finally in the record books after 17 years in the league."

Thomas, who was called for boarding with 1:29 left in regulation, joked that he might also be in the record books for taking foolish penalties.

But goalie Curtis Joseph stood firm and set the stage for Thomas' 10th career regular-season overtime winner.

Thomas intercepted a behind-the-net clearing pass by Michael Peca, circled the net and beat Roloson with a low shot between the legs for his fourth goal of the season.

"I didn't get a good piece of it," Peca said. "That's a sad result. It's very frustrating, especially when we did play hard enough to win."

Garry Valk and Tomas Kaberle also scored for Toronto, which extended its unbeaten streak to five games and remained atop the Northeast Division standings.

Miroslav Satan and Dixon Ward scored for Buffalo, which is winless in four games. The loss was the first in seven overtime games this season (3-1-3).

The Sabres were 0-for-7 on the power play while Toronto went 0-for-5.

Buffalo opened the scoring on the first shift of the game, taking advantage of some sloppy defense when Michal Grosek moved a loose puck to Satan, who scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season 42 seconds into the game.

Ward made it 2-0 at 4:10 when Toronto defenseman Cory Cross lost control of the puck while backpedaling deep in his own zone. Ward snapped a wrist shot over Joseph's glove hand.

"Our defense was very slow in moving the puck," Toronto coach Pat Quinn said. "They seem to be overhandling it."

Toronto rallied with a pair of second-period goals.

Valk took a clearing attempt by defenseman Jay McKee and rifled a shot past Roloson at 3:13.

Kaberle tied the game with his fifth goal when his high wrist shot from the point slipped through a screen of players past Roloson at 11:51.

"It's a good feeling to be able to come back from two goals and go on to win," Toronto winger Kris King said. "Buffalo came out skating, won the battles in the corners and took control. But we were able to regroup and give it back to them."

Injured Toronto center Yanic Perreault addressed the media during the first intermission, saying he was disappointed to be out of action six to eight weeks after getting slashed by Pittsburgh goalie Tom Barrasso on Saturday night and having his left forearm broken. Barrasso was suspended by the NHL on Monday for four games.

Perreault, who figured he will miss 20 to 25 games, lamented about the lack of respect among players and suggested Barrasso should be subject to a suspension half the length of time he's out, but acknowledged that's unlikely to happen.

 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Buffalo Clubhouse

Toronto Clubhouse


RECAPS
Nashville 4
Atlanta 3

NY Rangers 3
Calgary 2

Toronto 3
Buffalo 2

Chicago 5
Edmonton 1

Phoenix 3
Dallas 2

Colorado 5
Vancouver 2

Tampa Bay 3
San Jose 3

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Dixon Ward scores for Buffalo.
avi: 659 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1