3 most impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players from 5-3 victory over Buffalo Sabres

The Toronto Maple Leafs bounced back from a difficult 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, taking down the Buffalo Sabres 5-3, 24 hours later at Scotiabank Arena.

The victory improved their record to 19-10-2, while the struggling Sabres fell to 11-16-4, after their 10th consecutive defeat.

Things started well for the Sabres, who took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Jack Quinn just 1:03 after the opening faceoff followed by Alex Tuch's ninth goal not even two minutes later.

Toronto would cut the lead in half later in the period, as Max Domi, the son of beloved former Maple Leafs forward Tie Domi, finally scored his first goal of 2024-25.

At the midway point of the second period, Quinn notched his second goal for Buffalo, restoring the two-goal lead. But Nicholas Robertson responded for Toronto, followed by a pair of goals from now-former captain John Tavares that tied the score and later gave the host Leafs their first lead.

Tavares completed the hat trick with Sabres goaltender Devon Levi lifted for the extra attacker, hitting the open net with time ticking away in regulation.

Levi did all he could, making 36 saves on 40 shots. Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby, recently recalled from the American Hockey League affiliate Toronto Marlies, made 24 saves on the 27 shots he faced.

3 most impressive Toronto Maple Leafs players from 5-3 victory over Buffalo Sabres

#1. John Tavares

The now-former captain of the Maple Leafs, who officially ceded the leadership role to Auston Matthews during the offseason, enjoyed the best game of his 2024-25 campaign.

It was the 14th hat trick of his career and helped to power the Leafs to a win after a disappointing loss the previous night. It will also be an interesting storyline for his future in Toronto, as he's playing on an expiring contract and could potentially leave as a free agent on July 1, 2025.

#2. Max Domi

The scrappy Leafs forward, who played his first season with the Leafs in 2023-24 and agreed to a contract extension during the offseason, scored his first goal of 2024-25.

It was his 23rd contest of the season, as he previously missed seven games with an injury.

He scored nine goals last season and registered 38 assists; he's amassed only six assists in 2024-25. His goal will go a long way in re-establishing the confidence that helped make Domi a threat earlier in his career.

#3. Dennis Hildeby

The Leafs goaltender was making only his 3rd NHL appearance after the injury to Anthony Stolarz and the fact that Joseph Woll played in Saturday's loss to Detroit.

Despite surrendering two goals early in the contest, Hildeby rebounded to keep the Sabres at bay and give his team a chance to win. He also even attempted to score into the vacated net near the end of the game, which would have brought the house down in Toronto:

The Leafs are next in action against the Dallas Stars on December 18 from Dallas.