Tavares hat trick, 2nd period comeback, and more: 3 reasons for Toronto Maple Leafs' 5-3 win over Buffalo Sabres

The Toronto Maple Leafs came from behind the defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-3 at the Scotiabank Arena on Sunday evening. The Sabres jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period before the Leafs stormed back to take a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

John Tavares notched his 14th career hat trick, with Max Domi and Nick Robertson adding the other goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Jack Quinn had a pair of goals for the Sabres, with Alex Tuch adding the other.

So, here’s a look at the three main reasons why the Toronto Maple Leafs came from behind to beat the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday evening.

3 reasons why Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Buffalo Sabres

#3 Dennis Hildeby had a solid start

Dennis Hildeby made his third start of the season after being recalled on an emergency basis from the Toronto Marlies. The move corresponded with the lower-body injury Anthony Stolarz suffered in the game against the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday.

Hildeby had been tagged for six goals in his last start against the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this season. While HIldeby looked a bit shaky, giving up two goals within the first three minutes of the game, he settled down and gave the Leafs a solid performance.

In the end, Hildeby made 24 saves on the night, giving the Leafs some much-needed confidence in the crease.

#2 Second-period outburst

Jack Quinn scored his second of the night to make the game 3-1 for the Sabres at the 9:11 mark of the second period. But then, the Leafs stormed back with three unanswered goals in a span of about two and a half minutes.

Nick Robertson scored his third of the season to bring the Leafs to within one. Then, John Tavares tied the game with his 13th of the season, a power play at 12:41. Lastly, Tavares added his second of the night to give the Leafs a 4-3 lead a little over a minute after he tied the game.

The three-goal outburst gave the Leafs their first lead of the game, one they would not relinquish.

#1 John Tavares' hat trick

John Tavares had a whale of a game on Sunday night after failing to do much the night before against the Detroit Red Wings. On Sunday night, Tavares scored three times for his second career hat trick against the Buffalo Sabres.

After scoring twice in the second period, Tavares added an empty-netter with a little over two minutes to go to seal the victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With the win, the Leafs move into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. The team will get a couple of days off before facing the Dallas Stars on the road on Wednesday night.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Brad Taningco