No average preseason game

You'd probably only have this kind of game in September against Toronto. There was intensity on the ice, intensity in the stands (even with a large number of empty seats) and it made for a fun night Saturday as the Sabres pulled out a 3-2 overtime win over the Leafs.

The Sabres led the NHL in third-period goals last year and scored two in the final 2:21 of regulation to tie this game, with Paul Gaustad getting the equalizer with five seconds left. Ales Kotalik won it on a slapshot 63 seconds into overtime. Maxim Afinogenov, looking far more like the Max of old than the woebegone fourth-liner of last season, assisted on all three goals.

"You've got to stay focused for 60 minutes and be there when the team needs you," Kotalik said. "That's what we did. It feels special because the Toronto team was fired up and today was really regular season speed out there."

Coach Lindy Ruff pushed the envelope by pulling Ryan Miller with the Sabres on a power play and nearly three minutes left. It resulted in Buffalo's first goal and the momentum just kept rolling.

"I liked the game," Ruff said. "I liked how we competed and I liked the physicality of our game."

---Mike Harrington