In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, with Auston Matthews stealing the show with a remarkable natural hat trick in the second period.
Matthews, already leading the NHL in goals, showcased his scoring prowess by netting three consecutive goals in just under eight minutes during the second frame, pushing his season total to an impressive 45 goals. His performance earned praise from teammate William Nylander, who hailed him as the “best goal-scorer in the league.”
The Maple Leafs’ star forward is now on pace to potentially reach the elusive 70-goal mark, a feat not achieved since the 1992-93 season. Despite facing a resilient Flyers team, Matthews remained relentless, crediting his success to persistence and seizing opportunities.
Nylander played a crucial role in securing the victory, scoring the game-winning goal just 54 seconds into overtime, courtesy of a well-executed play orchestrated by Timothy Liljegren. Liljegren’s timely pass allowed Nylander to capitalize on the opportunity, clinching his 27th goal of the season and sealing the win for Toronto.
Mitch Marner also made significant contributions with three assists, while goaltender Ilya Samsonov stood tall with 29 saves, helping the Maple Leafs improve their record to 28-16-8.
Despite a valiant effort from the Flyers, who managed to erase a two-goal deficit in the third period, they ultimately fell short, suffering their first loss in five games. Travis Konecny and Garnet Hathaway contributed goals for Philadelphia, with goaltender Samuel Ersson making 24 saves in the losing effort.
Matthews’ impressive hat trick not only solidified his position as a dominant force in the NHL but also etched his name into the Maple Leafs’ record books. He matched the franchise record for hat tricks in a season and surpassed Darryl Sittler for the most multi-goal games in team history.
The victory was a testament to the Maple Leafs’ resilience and offensive firepower, even in the absence of defenseman Morgan Rielly, who was serving a suspension. With their sights set on playoff success, Toronto continues to showcase their championship aspirations with each hard-fought victory.