The Buffalo Sabres have beaten the Toronto Maple Leafs twice in a twelve-day span.
While the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs are headed in different directions, their rivalry is not. And it was something All-Star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews reminded fans of on Sunday at the Heritage Classic.
The Leafs, tasting sour grapes in the game’s closing moments, saw Matthews exchange cross-checks with Dahlin, prompting two minutes in the box for each player. While it’s clear Matthews was frustrated given his team’s recent string of performances against both the Sabres and other lower-tier teams like the Arizona Coyotes, Dahlin took the high road.
"“It’s hockey,” Dahlin said. “You know, things happen out there, it goes fast. It was intense. So I’m fine.”"
Buffalo Sabres-Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry is alive and well
Matthews’ words regarding the incident echoed Dahlin’s, but it won’t stop the NHL’s Department of Player Safety from reviewing the hit. However, the Dahlin-Matthews clash wasn’t the only on-ice incident reminding fans from both teams that this rivalry remains a topic of interest.
Sabres forward Dylan Cozens got into it with Leafs winger Michael Bunting following another incident with Matthews, resulting in ten-minute misconducts for the two. Center Tage Thompson also received a misconduct.
All of the above players are still in their early-to-mid twenties. And you can bet each figure to stick around their respective franchises for years to come. You can also bet that, with so much tension that brewed during the Heritage Classic, the Dahlin-Matthews and Cozens-Bunting Rivalries are just getting started.
The Sabres rivalry with the Leafs will not go anywhere, regardless of the teams’ records. It’s going to make for exciting hockey in the short-term. And when the Sabres become contenders themselves, you can further bet this rivalry will grow.
So far, the Sabres have gotten the last laugh, outscoring the Maple Leafs 10-3 in recent outings. The Sabres face the Leafs one more time on April 12th in Toronto. And while the Sabres will probably look even younger following the NHL Trade Deadline, expect them to fight until the clock hits zero.