Leafs’ Auston Matthews scores 60th goal of season
Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 59th and sixtieth objectives of the season because the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Purple Wings 3-0 on Tuesday to clinch home-ice benefit within the first spherical of the playoffs.
The 24-year-old, who snapped a five-game objective drought, is the primary participant to attain 60 occasions in a marketing campaign since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.
John Tavares had the opposite objective and Jack Campbell made 20 saves to register his fifth shutout of 2021-22 — and first since Jan. 1 — for Toronto (53-21-7), which set a franchise file with its thirtieth dwelling victory of the season. William Nylander added two assists.
The Leafs are actually locked into the No. 2 seed within the Atlantic Division and can open the playoffs subsequent week at Scotiabank Area towards both the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning.
Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 33 pictures for Detroit (31-40-10).
Matthews, who suited up for his third straight sport after lacking three in a row with an undisclosed damage, had plenty of nice appears to be like by means of the sport’s first 35 minutes earlier than lastly fixing Nedeljkovic with 4:12 left within the second interval.
With the Leafs in the midst of a line change, Jason Spezza fed Matthews in entrance earlier than he outwaited the Detroit goaltender and slid dwelling No. 59 earlier than chants of “M-V-P!” rang round Scotiabank Area.
And after Tavares doubled the Leafs’ lead at 4:03 of the third together with his twenty seventh, Matthews made historical past by burying No. 60 on an influence play at 5:49 when he saved the puck in on the offensive blue line earlier than ripping a shot previous Nedeljkovic’s glove to ship the group into one other frenzy.
Matthews’ teammates gave him an ovation on the bench, whereas some followers threw hats on the ice in honour of the accomplishment.
Toronto defenceman Jake Muzzin, who performed for simply the forty sixth time in 2021-22, returned to the lineup after sitting out the final six video games with an undisclosed damage.
Alexander Kerfoot received the decision on the left facet of the Leafs’ prime line with Matthews and Mitch Marner as Michael Bunting (lower-body damage) missed his second consecutive contest. The 26-year-old rookie winger, who was damage Saturday in Florida, may also miss Friday’s regular-season finale towards Boston.
Toronto received the primary three conferences of the season by a mixed 22-15 scoreline, together with a wild 10-7 victory within the groups’ final assembly Feb. 26 in Detroit.
The Leafs had the vast majority of the possibilities within the first, together with six shot makes an attempt from Matthews, however could not discover a well past Nedeljkovic.
Matthews had one other nice alternative 4 minutes into the second earlier than Campbell denied Joe Veleno from the slot on a Detroit energy play.
The Toronto netminder, who labored by means of some midseason struggles following an all-star worthy begin to the schedule, then made one other good cease on Wings rookie Lucas Raymond to set the stage for Matthews.
Notes: Marner sits three factors shy of changing into the fourth participant in franchise historical past — and second this season after Matthews — to register 100 factors. … Tavares was rested for Sunday’s 4-3 shootout victory in Washington. … Detroit wraps up its schedule Friday in New Jersey.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 26, 2022.
