In a thrilling match on Monday night, Auston Matthews showcased his prowess by netting his league-leading 61st and 62nd goals of the season, propelling the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 6-4 victory over the visiting Florida Panthers. Despite Toronto’s commanding 5-1 lead heading into the final period, Florida mounted a fierce comeback, narrowing the deficit to 5-4. However, Matthews sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:14, cementing his stellar performance and setting a new career high with his two-goal effort. Not content with just scoring, Matthews also contributed an assist to his impressive tally.
Joining Matthews in the spotlight were Nicholas Robertson and Matthew Knies, each registering a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who extended their winning streak to three games. Tyler Bertuzzi and David Kampf also found the back of the net for Toronto (43-22-9, 95 points), with goaltender Ilya Samsonov delivering a solid performance with 26 saves.
On the opposing side, Vladimir Tarasenko led the charge for the Florida Panthers (47-23-5, 99 points) with a goal and two assists, while Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennet, and Brandon Montour also contributed goals in a valiant effort. However, Sergei Bobrovsky struggled in the crease, allowing five goals on just 16 shots in two periods before Anthony Stolarz took over in the third period, making six saves.
The game saw a flurry of scoring, with Toronto striking twice in just 33 seconds during the first period. Knies capitalized on a turnover to set up Robertson for a breakaway goal, followed by Matthews extending the lead with a tap-in off a feed from TJ Brodie. Montour got the Panthers on the board early in the second period, but Toronto responded with goals from Bertuzzi, Kampf, and Knies to maintain control.
Despite a late surge from Florida, with goals from Tarasenko, Reinhart, and Bennet, Toronto held on for the win, showcasing their resilience in the absence of key players Joel Edmundson, Timothy Liljegren, Morgan Rielly, and Mitchell Marner due to various injuries.
Overall, it was a thrilling contest highlighted by Matthews’ standout performance, solidifying Toronto’s position as a formidable force in the league.