TORONTO — TORONTO — When Tim Kennedy had visions of National Hockey League goals running through his dreams as a little guy tucked in his parents’ South Buffalo home, here’s hoping Monday night’s game-winner over the Toronto Maple Leafs was not how the scene unfolded.

Snapping a 14-game goal-less drought, Kennedy got one behind Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson, a goal that wound up the game-winner in a 3-0 victory at Air Canada Centre, even if that’s not what he was aiming to do.

Instead, after Andrej Sekera made a great play to keep the puck in at the blue line, Kennedy spotted Thomas Vanek alone out front and tried to sneak the puck across to him.

“He was so wide open,” Kennedy said of Vanek. “It went off the goalie’s skate and in. That’s how some goals go in this league. You’re not going to make that perfect play. All the other players are just too good.”

For Kennedy, though, the relief was palpable. After stealing a job with hard work in the preseason — players on two-way contracts typically need to go above and beyond veterans with guaranteed NHL deals — Kennedy has been solid, but unspectacular in his pared number of shifts each night.

In four of his first five games, Kennedy played more than a dozen minutes. That number reversed during a recent stretch and the youngster played less than 12 minutes in four of five outings.

Then, Lindy Ruff decided late during Saturday’s win over Carolina to pair Kennedy and Mike Grier with Thomas Vanek. It seems improbable at first, a wide-eyed rookie, a noted two-way veteran and a high-salaried sniper.

But the line clicked and Kennedy earned his first point in seven games.

“He hasn’t been scoring, but he’s been playing well,” Jason Pominville said of Kennedy. “I think when you evaluate the play of a player, you can’t just look at if he’s scoring goals or getting points. He does other things well out there. He’s good defensively. He’s taking face-offs. He’s a solid all-around player and he’s helping us out there in a lot of different area.”

So when Kennedy finally banked one off Gustavsson, his teammates were happy to see him break the drought.

“It’s fun to see him get a bounce,” Pominville added. “Reggie (Sekera) made a great play to keep the puck in and made a nice move. He ends up banking it off the goalie. It’s fun to see him get rewarded.”

Kennedy has struggled through stretches before. Last year, he went 24 games with a goal in Portland, yet still finished with 67 points in 73 games.

“That’s what happens. You go through these slides,” he said. “But people don’t understand how hard it is to score in this league five-on-five. Every team’s good. It’s hard to get chances and when you do, you have to put them in.”

He admits being held off the scoresheet isn’t easy. His recent focus has been shutting down opponents, often the other team’s best line.

But if that’ll keep him with Buffalo, playing for the team he was raised on, Kennedy insists he’ll learn to adapt.

“Yeah, it’s tough. But I’m playing for the Sabres. I’m playing in the NHL,” he said. “So I’ll do whatever it takes to stick up here and if that means I’m not scoring as much as I used to, that’s just fine. I know my role and I’m trying to do it best I can.”

Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.