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NEWARK Tyler Johnson Jersey , N.J. (AP) — Instead of getting down after giving up an embarrassing, early bad-hop goal from center ice, New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider responded with what might have been his best game of the season.Schneider made 45 saves in stonewalling the Buffalo Sabres and got the benefit of having a game-tying, third-period tally nullified for goaltender interference in leading the Devils to a 3-1 victory on Monday night.“I can’t let one bad goal sink you for the rest of the game,” Schneider said. “It was more about fighting my way back and keeping us in the game so that’s what kind of motivated me.”Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored power-play goals as New Jersey won its second straight and for the fourth time in 14 games (4-9-1). Miles Wood added an empty-net goal on a length-of-the-ice shot.The biggest play in this game was the referee’s decision with 13:36 to play to disallow what would have been Sam Reinhart’s second goal of the game.Reinhart seemingly tied the game, putting the rebound of a Jeff Skinner shot into an open net with Schneider on the ice.The Devils didn’t take long to challenge, contending Evan Rodrigues interfered with Schneider, although it seemed New Jersey defenseman Andy Greene was battling with the Buffalo center in the crease.“I totally disagree with it, the call,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said. “He’s (Rodrigues) got his territory in front of the goaltender. We are telling our guys to go to the net. He does the right thing and the guy backs into him. They saw it differently, but I disagree with it.”Even though he was bumped Victor Hedman Jersey , Schneider was surprised by the reversal.“Never expect it to be overturned and it was, so it’s a great reversal for us,” he said.Rodrigues seemed stumped.“I was there for five or 10 seconds and I thought I was outside the crease,” Rodrigues said. “Their guy comes and makes a little contact with me. I don’t think I went purposely backward, but there was some contact there and they made the call.”Schneider was outstanding in the final 40 minutes, stopping all 36 Buffalo shots. He stopped Skinner on a breakaway two minutes after the goaltender interference call, and also had a great stop on Tage Thompson on a blast with 2:34 to go.Zacha had broken a 1-all tie at 4:25 of the third period with a shot from the left circle past a screened Linus Ullmark, who had 18 saves.Reinhart tied the score with a goal that stunned the crowd at 7:23. The Buffalo forward flipped the puck from center ice toward Schneider and it took a bad bounce past the embarrassed goaltender.“I was trying to bounce it at the end of the shift trying to get off. I got a lucky bounce,” Reinhart said.“You never want to give up that goal, it’s just brutal and you feel bad for your teammates,” added Schneider Yanni Gourde Jersey , who earlier this season tended to let bad goals ruin his night.This time, he ruined the Sabres’ night.“It’s not a good feeling, no other way to put it,” Rodrigues said. “We did things right. We didn’t give them much. We got pucks on net. We pretty much did everything we wanted to except put the puck in the net. It seems that’s the way it has been going these days.”The Devils scored on their first shot of the game when Coleman came out of the corner on a power play and beat Ullmark in close at 1:55.NOTES: Less than 48 hours after sending F Joey Anderson to Binghamton (AHL), the Devils recalled him. He didn’t play. … Sabres recalled D Lawrence Pilut from Rochester (AHL) on Sunday. … Sabres rookie C Casey Mittelstadt, the eighth pick in the draft, was a healthy scratch. … The Devils were 0 for 13 on the power play in the last five games. … Reinhart’s 20 goals are five shy of his career best set last season.UP NEXTSabres: At Ottawa on Tuesday night.Devils: At Detroit on Friday night. TORONTO — John Tavares used to be a mainstay of the New York Islanders, eventually becoming their captain.The 28-year-old center, however, will be on the opposing team for the first time in his career Saturday night when the Islanders visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena.“I assume it will be strange for sure at some level,” said Tavares Auston Matthews Jersey , who signed as a free agent with the Maple Leafs during the offseason. “It’s really hard to say because I’ve never done it before.”Article continues below ...Tavares had a strong warmup for the reunion with his former team, scoring two goals Friday night when the Maple Leafs defeated the Blue Jackets 4-2 in Columbus.The Islanders also are coming off a win, overcoming 2-0 and 3-1 deficits at home to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Friday.Tavares had 272 goals and 349 assists in 669 games with the Islanders and was their captain from 2013-18.In 38 games with Toronto, he has 26 goals, and is on a pace that would surpass his career-best 38 goals, set in 2014-15.“He’s got a stick like a crowbar,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s heavy, heavy on it. He’s got elite hockey sense.”“He’s getting to the net, he’s making plays,” said Maple Leafs right winger Mitch Marner, who assisted on both goals by Tavares Friday and scored one himself. “I think everyone knew when he came here how good of a one-on-one player he was. I think when he gets it Connor Brown Jersey , it’s just for me to try to find the open space and let him go to work on the people he’s going to work on.”It figures to be an emotional night in Toronto Saturday.“You’re in one place so long and you give so much to one place,” Tavares said. “I’m sure there will be many emotions. At the same time, I have to approach it the best way I can, just like any other game. I have to do my best to help my team win and try to play my best and be as best prepared as I can.”Tavares, who grew up in the Toronto area, has been an important addition to the Maples Leafs, who have matured into Stanley Cup contenders.“Johnny meant so much to this organization and to us in the room, his friends and teammates,” Islanders left winger Anders Lee, now the team captain, told Newsday. “I think we’re all looking forward to playing the game and seeing him.”Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist on Friday for the Islanders Frederik Andersen Jersey , who have won five of their past six games. The Maple Leafs have won five in a row.“I know he has a lot of good friends in our room,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “They do have a little bit of hurt. They understand it. But they’d like to have him as a teammate and he decided he didn’t need them as teammates anymore.”The return theme works both ways. Former Maple Leafs, left winger Matt Martin and right winger Leo Komarov, both signed with the Islanders in the offseason, and former Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello will be returning to their former home rink in Toronto.Lamoriello became Islanders president of hockey operations after Tavares signed with Toronto.Maple Leafs backup goaltender Garret Sparks got the start in Columbus Friday, which will set up No. 1 Frederik Andersen for the start on Friday.Islanders goaltender Robin Lehnert stopped all 10 shots he faced after he took over in the second period from Thomas Greiss, who allowed three goals on 17 shots.The Maple Leafs and Islanders were both playing their first game since Sunday.Islanders right wingers Jordan Eberle (stiffness) and Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) did not play Friday.