Some nights, one player rises above the noise and simply delivers when his team needs it most. Saturday night at KeyBank Center in Buffalo was that kind of night. The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs played a tense, physical game that needed extra time and a shootout to separate them.
When it mattered most, it was Jack Quinn who answered the call twice over. From a power play goal in regulation to the decisive shootout conversion, Quinn gave Sabres fans every reason to believe. The Maple Leafs came in fighting for their playoff lives without their captain, but Buffalo had other plans entirely.
Let’s take a closer look.
Owen Power sets the tone early
Buffalo wasted no time making a statement on home ice against a shorthanded Toronto squad. Defenseman Owen Power got the Sabres rolling just 2:01 into the first period. He jumped into the slot and buried a wrist shot off a feed from Zach Benson, sending KeyBank Center into an early frenzy.
It was the kind of quick strike that sets the tone for a whole game. Toronto responded fast. Dakota Joshua tied it at 1-1 just minutes later after the Sabres gave up the puck in front of their own net. The period ended level, but it was clear both teams had come ready to compete.
Physical play heats up the first period
The gloves came off early as both sides made it known this would not be a clean game. Luke Schenn and Dakota Joshua squared off in a fight that drew loud cheers from the Buffalo faithful. Penalties piled up and tempers ran high throughout the opening frame.
The physicality set a gritty tone that carried into the rest of the night. Noah Ostlund also picked up a goaltender interference penalty after a collision with Joseph Woll, sparking skirmishes near the crease. The first period ended with both teams fired up and the game very much in the balance.
Max Domi gives Toronto the lead
The Maple Leafs took control of the second period with a sharp goal on the rush. Just 53 seconds into the middle frame, Max Domi capitalized on a breakaway set up by William Nylander. He beat Alex Lyon cleanly to give Toronto a 2-1 lead. It was a gut punch for Buffalo, who had been building momentum at home.
The Leafs were playing with something to prove. This was their first game since captain Auston Matthews suffered a season-ending knee injury two days earlier. Toronto needed a response of its own, and Domi provided it at just the right moment.
Fun fact: Max Domi is the son of NHL enforcer Tie Domi, who played 16 seasons and holds the Toronto Maple Leafs all-time record for penalty minutes. Tie was one of hockey’s most feared fighters, while Max is a skilled offensive forward.
Jack Quinn ties it on the power play
With the game on the line, Quinn delivered exactly the kind of moment Buffalo needed. At 11:21 of the second period, Noah Ostlund threaded a behind-the-back, no-look pass to Quinn on the power play. Quinn fired a wrist shot from the left side past Woll to tie the game at 2-2.
The goal was Quinn’s 16th of the season and came at a critical juncture. The pass from Ostlund quickly went viral among Sabres fans. It was the kind of play that reminds you just how talented this young Buffalo core really is. Quinn’s ability to finish under pressure made it even more impressive.
Fun fact: Noah Ostlund only made his NHL debut on April 5, 2025, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent most of the previous season in the AHL with Rochester. Now he is threading no-look passes on the power play in a playoff race.
A scoreless third sends it to overtime
Neither team could break the tie in regulation, setting the stage for dramatic extra hockey. The third period was tense and tight-checking, with both goaltenders standing firm. Buffalo outshot Toronto 33 to 18 on the night across all three periods, but the scoreboard stayed frozen at 2-2. Lyon and Woll both made key saves to keep their teams alive.
Overtime brought five minutes of wide-open 3-on-3 hockey with chances on both ends. Josh Norris had a shot in the extra frame for Buffalo, and Easton Cowan went close for Toronto. But neither team could find the winner, and a shootout was needed to settle it.
Where the Sabres stand in the race
Buffalo is not just making the playoffs. They are racing for first place in the Eastern Conference. The win pushed the Sabres to first place in the Atlantic Division and kept them just two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the East. Tampa Bay sits four points back of Buffalo with games in hand. Every win matters at this stage.
Buffalo’s surge has been remarkable. After waking up on Dec. 9 in last place in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres climbed to the top of the Atlantic Division by mid-March and stayed in the hunt for first place in the East.
What this means for Jack Quinn’s season
Quinn is having the best season of his young career, and Saturday was a showcase of his growth. The 24-year-old right winger was selected eighth overall by Buffalo in the 2020 NHL Draft and has battled injuries throughout his early career. This season, he has emerged as a genuine contributor in the Sabres’ middle six.
Quinn’s power-play scoring and knack for delivering in clutch moments have become valuable parts of Buffalo’s attack. Saturday’s tying goal was his career-best 16th of the season and another sign of the progress Buffalo hoped to see from its 2020 first-round pick.
TL;DR
- Jack Quinn scored a power play goal in the second period to tie the game at 2-2 and then converted in the shootout to help Buffalo win 3-2.
- Alex Tuch also scored in the shootout, and Alex Lyon stopped both Toronto attempts to seal the victory.
- Owen Power opened the scoring at 2:01 of the first period on a wrist shot from the slot.
- Buffalo remained first in the Atlantic Division after the win and stayed two points behind Carolina for first place in the Eastern Conference.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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