Auston Matthews points to Maple Leafs’ improved net front play as factor in recent offensive outburst

The Toronto Maple Leafs went into the holiday break on a high note and kept the good times rolling in their first game out of it, taking a 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators to collect another important two points.

Auston Matthews had his best game in a while, with a goal and two assists, and his line with Max Domi and Bobby McMann contributed five points at even strength. It was a needed performance for the Maple Leafs captain, who had been held without a point in four straight games.

“Nice to get the job done,” Matthews told reporters following the game. “You knew it was going to be a physical game, a fast game, and yeah, you’d like to obviously not get it as tight as it was at the end, but, you know, good on the guys to close the job and get it done.”

The Leafs have scored 13 goals in their past two games, with seven on Saturday and six against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Matthews said that the team’s improved performance in front of their own net and the opposing team’s net has been a big help.

“I think the power play helps, obviously, and I think just all four lines are playing hard,” Matthews continued. “Winning battles at both net fronts, get into the opposing team’s net and outnumbering guys. And, you know, we’re making plays when there’s plays to be made. And when there’s not I think we’re doing, you know, a pretty good job of taking care of pucks.”

Max Domi followed his two-point effort on Tuesday against Pittsburgh with a three-assist night against the Senators to give him five points in his last two games. He acknowledged the impact his line made tonight but made sure the rest of the team got their credit as well.

“I think we had all four lines going, but Auston was on a mission tonight and Bobby was competing hard,” Domi said. “So, yeah, big goal for sure, but we had everyone going.”

The Maple Leafs improve to 17-15-5 on the season and will have an opportunity to tie the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators rather than occupying sole possession of last in the Atlantic Division. From there, they will be only four points back of third place in the division. If the Maple Leafs want to come out on the better end of the newfound parity in the league, they will need more efforts like this from Matthews and the team around him.

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