Maple Leafs Goal Challeng Agains Bruins
TORONTO — When you're as big equally Auston Matthews, when you lot're doing what he'south doing every nighttime for the most-watched team in the National Hockey League, it gets to the point where you lot can almost absorb out the sun. But as much as the Toronto Maple Leafs' latest win on Sabbatum night against the Montreal Canadiens was however some other episode of the universally-acclaimed Matthews Evidence, in that location are a few subplots worthy of shining a low-cal on.
For a minute, though, information technology really did experience like at that place would exist nix to talk nigh aside from Matthews' luminescence. While the game wound up being a close three-ii Toronto win, information technology seemed like No. 34 — fresh off breaking Rick Vaive's single-season franchise goals record in Dallas on Th — might take himself something akin to Darryl Sittler'southward famous ten-bespeak night from so many years agone.
Matthews' outset goal opened the scoring and came with six:28 left in the first period. It occurred on a broken play that led to Montreal goalie Jake Allen having to leave the game because he injured himself while extending his left leg out in a futile try to cease Matthews' backhand. Twenty-vii seconds afterward, Matthews chugged over the bluish line and put the first shot on replacement goalie Sam Montembault into the back of the net.
ii-0 home side; crowd losing its mind and goals No. 57 and 58 on the year already on the board for Matthews, who was clearly touched past the video tribute he received earlier in the period to award goal No. 55 establishing a new team-high. It felt like the NHL's first sixty-goal season in a decade might happen before the pause.
"At that place'due south a moment there," said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe later the game. "Especially [when] the 2nd one goes in, [Jason Spezza] turned around and kind of gave me the eyes like, 'This is something special.' No incertitude. It's fun. I was surprised he stopped at two, to be honest, with the mode he'due south playing; you felt like he was going to take a serious night."
If Spezza and Keefe are still taken ashamed by the Matthews magic, just imagine what it'due south like for the guys who've but recently got a front-row ticket to the show. "The guys we traded for at the merchandise deadline have made comments afterward games nearly his play and his operation and what he'due south able to do," said Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly.
Information technology's not hard to see why people are doing a double-have. Matthews' almost recent pair of markers gave him 51 goals in his past 50 contests, making him the kickoff person since Mario Lemieux in the mid-90s to score 50 goals in a 50-game stretch of the same season. He's currently scoring .87 goals-per-game, a charge per unit only x guys (on 21 different occasions) in the history of the league have finished a flavor at. The last one to exercise it was Lemieux, one year before Matthews was born.
Still, despite the fact Matthews had 2 goals past the time the Canadiens had merely 3 shots, the lid stayed on this game. The Canadiens closed the gap before the first flow ended and clawed back a 2d time in the middle frame to make information technology 3-2 after John Tavares had scored to put Toronto ahead by two goals earlier in the stanza.
While the crowd was euphoric at times celebrating Matthews or the fact Mitch Marner ran his signal streak to thirteen games with a first-menstruation assist, they were likewise forced into some nail-bitter during this affair as the Leafs tried to deliver a win against a basement-dwelling blood rival that is playing decent hockey these days, had browbeaten the Leafs the by two times these squads met and, oh, by the way, delivered Toronto its latest playoff nightmare less than 12 months ago.
This wasn't only two more than points on the line; it was a chance to shell the Canadiens, to hit 100 points on the season and officially clinch a playoff spot. This was an opportunity to send supporters home feeling even improve than they were when they poured into Scotiabank Arena set to fete their record-breaking star. And for all Matthews did on the assault, the good vibes would accept been killed without some key contributions at the other end of the rink.
"For good reason, we're celebrating Auston and nosotros're jubilant the run Mitch is on, [but] there'south a ton of really proficient things happening all around our team and all throughout our lineup," Keefe said. "Add another ane to the list tonight because I thought Erik Kallgren was outstanding. For me, this was his best game — at least the most comfortable I felt [watching him] on the bench."
Kallgren — forced out of his most recent start past a shot to the jaw Tuesday in Florida, and making just the seventh beginning of his NHL career — was fantastic when chosen upon. He stopped ii kickoff-period breakaways and another clean 2-on-1 opportunity in that menses. In the second, he stoned Josh Anderson on a point-blank one-timer during a stretch of four-on-four hockey. And when Brendan Gallagher managed to sneak backside the defence force in the third period and go in lone on the Toronto goalie, Kallgren closed the wickets to deny the Montreal forward'south v-hole attempt.
"I felt amend," the Swedish freshman said. "I hadn't' really been satisfied with my game the last couple games, so it was dainty to get this win and the feeling I had today."
In front of Kallgren, the Leafs defence corps continues to take form. Jake Muzzin played his third game since returning from a concussion before this week. Meanwhile, deadline acquisition Mark Giordano has now suited up for 10 games in blue and white and the team is viii-1-i in that stretch. Giordano was on the ice in the dying seconds against Montreal, as the Leafs made a one-goal lead stand up despite having a man in the penalty box. Muzzin and Giordano allow Keefe to balance out his pairs in a way that should increasingly mean good things for the less-glamorous end of the ice.
"Information technology feels like there's a lot [fewer] times where teams can wear on usa shift over shift," Keefe said. "Nosotros seem to exist able to put out a fire quicker because nosotros have guys on each pair who have the ability to do that and certainly 'Gio' is one of the best we take at that."
Still, you know the next time the Leafs hit the ice — they host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday — the talk volition inevitably shift dorsum to the guy doing all the damage upwards front. Two more than goals and
Matthews volition accept only the tertiary 60-goal season of the past 24 seasons after Steven Stamkos hit the number right on in 2011-12 and Alex Ovechkin notched 65 in 2007-08.
"Obviously he's doing something special right now," Rielly said. "And to be a part of information technology is a lot of fun."
Source: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/as-matthews-dominates-again-maple-leafs-secure-win-with-key-contributions/
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