NHL: Buffalo 5, Toronto 3

BUFFALO, N.Y., March 27 (UPI) -- Tim Connolly's 15th and 16th goals of the season helped the Buffalo Sabres record a crucial 5-3 win over Toronto Friday.

Buffalo rose to 80 points but is 10th in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Connolly scored at 9:39 of the first and 3:30 of the second. Jochen Hecht, Daniel Paille and Paul Gaustad all scored once.

Gaustad added an assist and Ryan Miller -- playing for the first time since spraining his left ankle Feb. 21 against the New York Rangers -- made 33 saves on 36 shots in the Sabres' second straight victory after a four-game losing streak.

Toronto got goals from Boyd Devereaux (shorthanded) in the second and both Matt Stajan and Nikolai Kulemin (power play) in the third.

Curtis Joseph and Justin Pogge combined to surrender five goals on 24 shots for the Maple Leafs, who had won two in a row but occupy 11th place in the East.