At first, the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed like they would run away with an easy win over the Florida Panthers. While that wasn’t to be, the team still clinched a 6-4 victory over one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. Could this game be a potential playoff preview?
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Once again, Auston Matthews showed his scoring ability by netting his NHL-leading 61st and 62nd goals of the season. He also added an assist. Toronto built a commanding four-goal lead but faced a late surge from the Panthers before ultimately securing the crucial victory. For fans who don’t believe empty-net goals matter, Matthews’ goal during the game’s late stages was key to cementing the win.
Item One: Three Reasons the Maple Leafs Beat the Panthers
There were three reasons the Maple Leafs beat the Panthers on Monday night. First, as mentioned, Auston Matthews continued his sensational season by scoring two goals and adding an assist. Matthews was a constant threat throughout the game, and his solid defensive play also gave the Maple Leafs a significant advantage and helped push them to the victory.
Second, the Maple Leafs showed their offensive depth. The team also got off to a flying start by putting up a four-goal cushion early in the game. Other than Matthews, Nick Robertson, Matthew Knies, Tyler Bertuzzi, and David Kampf contributed to the offensive attack with goals. This scoring shows the team’s ability to generate offense from numerous depth players and bodes well for a team looking to have four solid lines working during the upcoming postseason.
Third, the Maple Leafs showed their defensive resilience and solid goaltending. While the score sheet might not look as thoguh Ilya Samsonov had a particulaly good game, the fact is he was great in the net. Despite facing a late push from the Panthers, Samsonov made 26 saves and weathered the storm during the game’s deciding moments.
Item Two: Ilya Samsonov: Steady Presence in Maple Leafs’ Victory
Speaking more specifically about Samsonov, he was on his game again and played a key role in the win. One change in his game was seen in his ability to maintain his composure during the Panthers’ late-game surge. Despite allowing four goals on 30 shots, his performance between the pipes was good enough to carry the win home.
Samsonov faced a near-overwhelming third-period comeback attempt by the Panthers. While Florida did score three goals in the third period to cut Toronto’s lead from 5-1 to 5-4, Samsonov ultimately preserved the lead.
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This game marked the third-straight win for the 27-year-old and further solidified his claim on the Maple Leafs’ starting role. He now has a season record of 21-6-7, with a slightly-climbing .892 save percentage and 3.06 goals against average. He’s been putting up consistent performances since his “re-set.” Who would have predicted this turnaround in early January?
Item Three: Auston Matthews Sets New Maple Leafs Record for Goals in a Season
What a treat it is for Maple Leafs fans to see the team’s best player ever having a record-setting season. Matthews etches his name into the record books every game he plays. Although it took him three games to record his 60th on the season, last night Matthews wasted no time scoring. He extended the lead to 2-0 late in the opening period off a great T.J. Brodie feed.
Matthews continued to add to his season point total by adding an assist on Bertuzzi’s goal in the second period. However, he might have saved the best for last. With the game hanging in the balance, Matthews sealed the deal with his empty netter. His seven goals and 16 points over his last eight games make him a driving force behind Toronto’s success as they try to end the regular season on a positive.
Now two questions remain. First, will he hit the century mark in scoring? That seems inevitable as he has 98 points. Second, is there an off chance that Matthews can score 70 goals? Samsonov noted after the March 30 game against the Buffalo Sabres game that’s what he wanted to see. So we know his teammates are rooting for him and will be trying to help him do so.
Matthews continues to elevate his game to new heights. He’s building his legacy as one of the NHL’s all-time greats.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
In this case, the “What’s Next for the Maple Leafs” is the Who’s Next? Yesterday, the Maple Leafs bolstered their prospect pool by signing promising collegiate forward Jacob Quillan to a two-year entry-level deal.
The highly sought-after collegiate free agent brings an impressive resume from his three-year stint at Quinnipiac University. The 22-year-old Quillan can score, as he’s netted 36 goals and totalled 84 points in 80 games over the past two seasons.
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Interestingly, he broke Matthew Knies’ heart when he played a critical role in Quinnipiac’s Frozen Four championship during the 2022-23 campaign by beating Knies’ University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and earning recognition as the Most Outstanding Player. Could he become a valuable addition to the Maple Leafs lineup and even line up with Knies in the future?