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In an essential recreation, Auston Matthews led the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (Dec. 23) night time. What a streak Matthews is on. He prolonged his goal-scoring streak to seven straight video games, pumping in two objectives and including an help. His NHL-leading purpose complete now sits at 28 objectives for the season.
William Nylander additionally continued his excellent scoring. He added a short-handed purpose and two assists, and by doing so, he additionally prolonged his level streak to a powerful 11 video games. The mixed efforts of Matthews and Nylander helped Toronto cease a two-game dropping streak and head into the vacation break on a optimistic observe. Just to compensate for the remainder of the group’s Core Four, John Tavares additionally scored for Toronto, and Mitch Marner contributed two assists to the group’s win.
Related: Maple Leafs Need to Thank Marlies’ Players for Help This Season
In this version of Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll check out facets of the sport from the participant’s viewpoint and touch upon their seasons going into the Christmas break.
Item 1: Sean Kuraly Suffers Abdominal Injury
Blue Jackets ahead Sean Kuraly was hospitalized after sustaining an belly damage within the remaining 19 seconds of the primary interval. He received sandwiched between Maple Leafs Matthews and defenseman Jake McCabe behind the Toronto internet. After initially getting up, Kuraly hunched over and skated to the bench. However, as he was heading down the tunnel, he collapsed, prompting teammates and coaches to urgently sign for medical assist.
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The recreation was quickly suspended as a result of severity and scary nature of the incident. Later through the recreation, it was introduced that the damage didn’t seem like critical; nevertheless, Kuraly was taken to the hospital for additional analysis. I’ve not learn any medical updates since final night time.
Item 2: Martin Jones Looked Good, Once Again
Goalie Martin Jones performed a key position within the win, making 27 saves to contribute to the group’s stable efficiency. Jones’ stable goalie play represented a collective sigh of aid amongst Toronto followers. He’s now 4-1-0 in 4 begins with a 2.79 goals-against-average (GAA) and .917 save proportion.
Related: Ex-Maple Leafs Frederik “Goat” Gauthier: Where Is He Now?
With Ilya Samsonov struggling, Jones has turn out to be the de facto starter within the absence of Joseph Woll, who’s sidelined with an ankle damage. Fortunately, he’s additionally turn out to be a dependable presence between the pipes for the Maple Leafs. The win in opposition to the Blue Jackets additional solidifies his place because the group’s present key goalie. He’s been, aside from the one glitch in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres, a gradual pressure within the internet.
Item 3: Auston Matthews Scores 2 Goals, Once Again
In one more nice efficiency, Matthews netted two objectives and added an help within the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday night time. Both Matthews one-timers appeared near equivalent. The first put the Maple Leafs into the lead 8:20 into the primary interval. And the second purpose – virtually from the identical spot on the ice – added to the Maple Leafs lead through the second interval. With the objectives, Matthews turned the primary NHL participant since Jaromir Jagr in additional than 1 / 4 of a century (because the 1996-1997 season) to attain 27 or extra objectives within the first 30 video games of a season.
As famous earlier, Matthews prolonged his goal-scoring streak to seven straight video games, with a powerful 12 objectives throughout this stretch. It wasn’t way back, he was so sick he couldn’t even skate. Funny factor about Matthews and his associate Marner. Logically, it’d make sense to separate them. However, whenever you see two duplicate objectives – each scored from the proper circle and on lovely set-ups from associate Marner – it makes it robust to mess with perfection. Marner and Matthews simply appear to have a deal going, with Matthews in a position to reap the benefits of feeds from the always-assistive Marner.
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Now, with 28 objectives in simply 30 video games, Matthews is solely dominating the NHL. Two questions emerge. First, can he hit 50 objectives in 50 video games? Second, he’s at the moment on a 76-goal tempo. Even if he slows down, can he hit 70 objectives this season?
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs will get pleasure from a three-day Christmas break earlier than resuming their schedule with three video games in 4 nights. They begin with a house recreation in opposition to Ottawa below new Senators’ head coach Jacques Martin. That’s adopted by away video games in opposition to the Blue Jackets and a return house to face the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Maple Leafs head into the Christmas break tied for second within the Atlantic Division with the Florida Panthers, each having 40 factors, 4 behind the division-leading Boston Bruins, with Toronto having a recreation in hand. After 31 video games this season, the Maple Leafs maintain a document of 17-8-6, placing them on tempo for 106 factors, 5 lower than final season.
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