National Hockey League

Sabres 5, Maple Leafs 2

Published Dec. 21, 2009 7:30 p.m. ET

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Ryan Miller made 40 saves for his 20th win of the season, and the Buffalo Sabres scored four times in the second period of a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.

Derek Roy, Toni Lydman, Mike Grier and Matt Ellis all scored in the middle period for Buffalo (21-10-2) in its eighth straight win over the Maple Leafs. Thomas Vanek also scored, and Grier and Lydman added an assist each for the Sabres, winners of five of six.

Rookie Viktor Stalberg and Lee Stempniak scored for the Maple Leafs (12-16-7), who allowed four second-period goals for the second consecutive game. Toronto lost to Phoenix 6-3.

Vesa Toskala, making his seventh straight start, was pulled after allowing the four second-period goals on six shots. He finished with six saves before giving way to Jonas Gustavsson, who gave up a goal on 17 shots in his first appearance since undergoing a heart procedure in early December.

Toronto came in having given up the most goals in the NHL.

The Sabres began their second-period blitz when Roy one-timed a shot from the slot that got past Toskala at 1:32.

Toskala then muffed Lydman's harmless-looking wrist shot from the left point at 7:02 that gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead.

Grier scored just 2:12 later when Tim Kennedy's feed from the left circle went off Grier's left leg and in, and Ellis chased Toskala after his wrist shot went in from the left circle with 7:12 left in the second to make it 4-1.

Stalberg opened the scoring with his first NHL goal just 3 minutes into the game. From the lower portion of the right circle, Stalberg's wrist shot eluded Miller, who was screened by Ellis.

NOTES: The teams will meet again Monday in Toronto, where the Sabres have won seven straight. ... This was the only road game for the Maple Leafs during a six-game stretch. ... Buffalo C Paul Gaustad returned after missing the last 10 games because of a knee injury. ... Toronto D Luke Schenn played after being a healthy scratch the past three games. ... Buffalo has outscored the Maple Leafs by a 32-10 margin in its eight straight wins over Toronto. ... Miller won his 20th career game against the Maple Leafs, the most against any opponent. ... It was the fourth time in eight games the Maple Leafs have allowed at least five goals.

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