TORONTO — Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff insisted after Tuesday's loss to the Washington Capitals that those performing at a subpar level would begin playing less. Struggling Jochen Hecht became the example that proved the coach's threat has teeth.

Although he remained in uniform, Hecht sat idly until less than 10 minutes remained in the first period of Buffalo's 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night in Air Canada Centre. He played less than two minutes in the first period but finished with 12:53 in time logged. Hecht was more involved after the first period in part because Ruff felt his play had improved and in part because an injury to Daniel Paille created a need.

"I kind of knew I wouldn't play much," Hecht said. "I practiced on the fourth line the day before. I didn't expect to sit the first 10 minutes, but I expected to get less ice time."

"I didn't play him for a while and we dropped him down [to the fourth line] and I think he played a couple minutes, not even two minutes in the first period, just based on how he was playing, just based on the way he started last game, which was poor," Ruff said.

"I just think sometimes you have to take a step back and evaluate yourself and say, 'Boy, I got to be better. If this team's going to be better I got to be better.' And [I] think that in Jochen's case, and in talking with him, he agrees. He's never gone [through] something like this and he agrees he's got to be a lot better."

Hecht said that Ruff's tactics caught his attention.

"Yeah, it worked," he said. "I think I played OK tonight. I didn't make any mistakes out there, just tried to keep it simple and just try to get back to my game."

Meanwhile, Adam Mair was rewarded for his strong third-period performance against the Caps. He received a few double-shifts in the first period during Hecht's absence and had 14:44 in playing time, his highest total in three games. Mair had been considered doubtful for the game because of a knee injury suffered against Washington.

Buffalo's healthy scratches were Nathan Gerbe, Andrew Peters and Nathan Paetsch.

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Paille was helped to the dressing room after being struck on the right leg by a slap shot during a Toronto power play with 8:32 left in the first period. Action continued for some 10 seconds while Paille remained down in obvious distress. He attempted to rise once, but fell back to his knees.

Paille took four shifts the rest of the game, just one in the third period. He wasn't available for comment afterward, but Ruff talked optimistically about his status.

"Danny will be OK," Ruff said. "He's pretty sore. He took [four] shifts and then we decided to keep him off."

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Curtis Joseph, coming off a 4-3 overtime victory over Atlanta, made his second straight start in goal for the Leafs and only his fifth of the season. Joseph (41), the NHL's second-oldest active player behind Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios (46), secured his 450th career victory in the win over Atlanta. That ranks fourth on the all-time NHL list and second among active players behind New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.

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Thursday's game marked only the second time the Sabres played a New Year's Day road game. The previous was a 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh in 1977. Buffalo has an all-time record of 3-6-2 on New Year's Day, also including an 8-1 dismantling of the Leafs in 2000. Toronto is 21-13-6 in Jan. 1 games, including 16-5-2 at home.

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The Sabres were one of the NHL's more dominant home teams the two seasons in which they made back-to-back appearances in the conference finals. Buffalo was 27-11-3 at home in 2005-06, 28-10-3 at home in '06-07. That's a resounding 55-21-6 in the two seasons combined.

Now take a look at the 2008 calendar year, which spans the end of last season and the beginning of this one. The Sabres barely broke .500 in that time, going 19-17-8 on HSBC ice plus the one game at The Ralph.

"You have to put something together," Ruff said. "Most times you put something together it's at home. That's been the most discouraging part ... it eats away at you."

By contrast the team went 18-13-7 on the road in 2008.