Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Canadiens Samsonov & Marner.
In a matchup between two Original Six archrivals without a single playoff consequence, the Toronto Maple Leafs overwhelmed the Montreal Canadiens by busting out with four goals in the second period and then holding on for a 4-2 win on Saturday night.
Item 1: 3 Reasons the Maple Leafs Topped the Canadiens
There are three key reasons why the Maple Leafs won on Saturday night. First, Auston Matthews continued his incredible season by scoring his league-leading 64th goal. He also reached the 100-point mark for the second time in his career.
Second, the Maple Leafs balanced offensive attack carried the day. The team got goals from Bobby McMann, Matthew Knies, Max Domi, and Matthews. Notably, each Maple Leafs player recorded a maximum of a single point. Over the past few games, the team’s depth has shown itself. That’s a strong hint that the elite scorers on the team might not have to carry the offensive burden alone this postseason. The team seems better able to generate scoring from all four lines than in past postseasons.
Third, the team once again had strong goalie play. Ilya Samsonov stood tall in net for the Maple Leafs, making 24 saves to backstop his team to victory. Samsonov’s presence provided stability, and he seemed calm all game long.
Item 2: Auston Matthews Hits 100 Points for the Season
As noted, Matthews just keeps throwing in goals. He continued his phenomenal season by scoring his league-leading 64th goal on a wraparound that deflected off David Savard’s skate and into the net. The goal also marked Matthews’ 100th point of the season, a milestone he has reached for the second time in his career.
Matthews is currently on a 10-game point streak with 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) during this stretch. His 64 goals match the total Connor McDavid recorded last season. They are also the most in a season since Alex Ovechkin’s 65 goals in 2007-08.
Additionally, Matthews now joins elite company within the Maple Leafs franchise. He’s now matched legends Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour as the only players to achieve two 100-point seasons in team history.
With six games remaining in the season, Matthews has the potential to pass even more significant milestones. He needs to average “only” one goal in each remaining game to reach 70 goals on the season, which suddenly seems doable given his current pace and remarkable consistency.
