“He’s looking fresh out there.” — Mitchell Marner
TORONTO – Auston Matthews is fast becoming the poster boy for the personal health day.
Need a brief sabbatical from work? Office blues got you down? Aching to clear your mind and rest those aching muscles? Life nagging on you like a Radko Gudas cheap shot?
Simply point to No. 34 on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the way he’s been playing hockey since his one-practice, two-game hiatus is all the evidence you need to prove that rest, indeed, is a weapon.
Since clawing a couple of the NHL season’s dog days to himself — largely forgettable mid-January weeknight games versus Nashville and Detroit — the reigning MVP has submitted his most dangerous and engaged three-game run of 2022-23.
None better or more complete than his two-goal, seven-shot, four-block, three-steal, two-hit, one-crossbar star turn in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the excellent Winnipeg Jets.
“It’s probably the game that’s looked closest to him last year, in terms of him dangerous, in terms of the puck went in the net,” assessed a visibly pleased Sheldon Keefe.
“Probably could’ve had four or five tonight.”
That’s not hyperbole.
A smart, systems-first hockey match waged between Canada’s best hopes to quench the 29-year Stanley Cup drought was knotted 0-0 after 20 minutes. That was largely due to another stellar home-ice performance by Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov, who faced 41 scoring chances to Connor Hellebuyck’s 23. But it was also because both sides were doing their damnedest to dial in defensively after giving up a 4-spot Tuesday to lottery-bound opponents.
Tight and controlled, the night was begging for a game-breaker.
Well, all Matthews needed were the Zamboni laps and eight seconds.
He treated the second period’s opening faceoff like starting blocks, burst in on Hellebuyck, saw a window low and whipped the puck clean right through his fellow all-star’s five-hole.
“I love how Auston went out and took charge (of) the game,” Keefe said. “Yeah, Auston took over.”
Said Matthews: “Saw an opening. I was able to sneak it by him and just tried not to back from there.”
Matthews beat Hellebuyck clean again three-and-a-half minutes later. This time high. This time for the winner.
“I’ve had a lot of similar looks this year,” Matthews said. “I think I’ve just been off a little bit as far as accuracy.”
These were big-time, goal-scorer’s goals punctuated by emphatic celebrations.
Sure, designs on a repeat 60-goal run or a threepeat Rocket Trophy win may not be realistic, considering Matthews’ slow start (relative to the field and past versions of himself). But with points in eight straight and goals in four straight, Matthews is now tied with William Nylander for the Leafs’ lead in goals (24). He’s on pace for 44 and heating up nicely.
“It’s nice to see he’s rippin’ the puck again,” said setup man Michael Bunting. “He almost had three there. I think he’s just gonna keep building off that confidence. He’s such an exceptional player in this league, and he’s showing it.”
In all zones.
With 53 blocks and 57 hits this season, Matthews is on track to set career bests in two of the grittier categories.
And this late block of a Morgan Barron blast triggered a roar from the crowd and appreciation from the bench:
“Eats a lot of pucks. More than people think. It was a great block for him there for sure,” Marner said. “His 200-foot game has been unreal over the last couple years.”
Certainly, Samsonov is grateful.
The goaltender says everybody asks him about Matthews, and he tells them he’s never seen an offensive star hustle back to the defensive zone and help out the way he does.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Samsonov, after handing Matthews the Leafs’ player-of-the-game belt.
“I like what Auston’s doing. Everybody sees what he’s doing. He’s blocking shots — everybody needs to block shots. It’s so good.”
Memo to your boss: Never underestimate the value of a day off.
“I think it was good just to reset and physically feel better, mentally, everything,” Matthews said.
“It’s no secret, it’s a bit of a grind throughout the season. And sometimes a little bit of rest can kind of go a long way. So, I’ve been feeling good lately. And we just want to continue to get better as a team, get better individually.”
Load management: Maybe it shouldn’t be restricted to basketball players only.
Fox’s Fast 5
• Whitby, Ont., native Cole Perfetti said he lost count of how many friends and family members were in attendance for his first road game against the Maple Leafs.
“Something you dream of since you were little watching the games on TV or even coming to the games and thinking how cool it would be to play one day in this building and against the Leafs,” the 21-year-old Jet said.
Perfetti grew up a big Nazem Kadri fan, then started rooting for Matthews once Toronto secured the first-overall pick.
“I’m just super grateful I have that support and all these people want to come watch me play.”
• Pierre-Luc Dubois drew tripping calls on Rasmus Sandin and Mark Giordano to edge ahead of Bunting for the NHL lead in drawn penalties, 29-27.
• After the Leafs’ five-forward power-play gave up its second short-handed goal Tuesday, Keefe reverted to a more traditional look against the Jets. Morgan Rielly manned the point.
• Florida coach Paul Maurice’s response to officiating questions, on the day he was fined $25,000 for Tuesday’s criticism of the refs in Toronto:
“It would be fiscally irresponsible for me to say anything ever again.”
• I have the solution for the Maple Leafs’ goaltending strategy come playoff time.
Start Samsonov at home, where he’s 12-0-1 with a .938, and Matt Murray on the road, where he’s 7-4-1 with a .929.
“It’s definitely a thing,” Keefe says of the split. “Whatever it is, we’ll take it.”
Problem solved.
