The Toronto Maple Leafs split their home-and-home with the Buffalo Sabres after picking up a 4-3 overtime win at home. John Tavares was the hero after the Maple Leafs survived some high-danger chances off of the opening draw in overtime. He picked up the puck on a breakaway and beat Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen clean to get the Maple Leafs back into the win column for the first time since their 2-1 win over the New York Rangers on October 16.
He sparked a third-quarter comeback that saw the teams tied at 94 after 36 minutes. Then he took over the fourth quarter, tying the game with a little over a minute left with a 3-pointer he punctuated by shimmying in front of a crazed Chase Center crowd, and then again with 21 seconds remaining on a deep triple from the logo to tie things at 120.
The Washington Capitals returned to DC just in time to shut down the Tampa Bay Lightning with a stirring overtime win. Jake Guentzel owned the lone goal of the first period, a layup after a face-off in the Caps' zone. There was just one goal in the second as well, as Connor Michael delivered a perfect pass from below the goal line to Aliaksei Protas, who was wearing his Metal Gear Solid stealth camouflage.