The Toronto Maple Leafs delivered a statement victory with a 4-0 shutout over the Buffalo Sabres, clinching their first Atlantic Division title since in a traditional season format. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz was nearly unbeatable, stopping shots for his third consecutive shutout and extending his scoreless streak to over minutes. Toronto’s defense blocked shots and backchecked relentlessly, setting the tone for a playoff-ready performance.
Steven Lorentz broke the deadlock late in the second period, capitalizing on a precision pass from Scott Laughton. Mitch Marner reached the 100-point milestone for the first time in his career, while Auston Matthews notched his 400th NHL goal with an empty-netter. Nicholas Robertson also found the scoresheet for the Leafs, who have now won four straight and set a franchise record with road wins this season.
Buffalo, despite generating shots and several quality chances, couldn’t solve Stolarz. The Sabres’ seven-game home winning streak ended, and they suffered their fourth shutout loss of the year. With the division clinched, Toronto now looks ahead to a first-round playoff showdown against provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators.
