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He’s a pure, all proper.
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Auston Matthews’ dominance over Nationwide Hockey League goaltenders continued on Thursday evening.
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In recording a hat trick in a span of seven minutes 49 seconds within the second interval, Matthews lit up Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson, main the Leafs to a 4-3 victory at Scotiabank Enviornment.
Matthews’ pure hat trick introduced him to 45 objectives in 51 video games, placing him on tempo for 71 objectives in 2023-24.
William Nylander scored at 54 seconds of additional time, beating Ersson between the legs after taking a go from Timothy Liljegren.
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Not that Matthews’ prowess wants an exclamation level, however think about this: He has 344 objectives, 76 fewer than the Leafs franchise report of 420 held by Mats Sundin. Matthews has performed in 532 video games, 449 lower than the 981 Sundin skated in for Toronto.
The Flyers had a 1-0 lead earlier than Matthews went off for his fifth hat trick of the season and twelfth of his NHL profession. 9 of Matthews’ three-goal video games have come on dwelling ice. He owes a few of you critical hat cash.
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“I assumed Auston actually was the catalyst for us (within the second interval), not simply because he shot the puck within the internet, however simply the best way he competed,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe stated. “I assumed he was a beast for us to actually get us going and set the instance of what was required. We had quite a lot of guys who actually picked up their sport from there.”
A recap of the Matthews harm:
— His first aim got here at 11:06 when Mitch Marner, who had the puck within the Leafs’ finish, noticed Matthews on the Flyers blue line and fired off a go. Matthews took the stretch feed, made a number of strides into the offensive zone and snapped a low shot previous Ersson on the glove facet.
— At 14:20 throughout a Leafs man benefit got here a play that Marner and Matthews may, in all probability, make with their eyes closed. Parked on the faceoff dot to the left of Ersson, Matthews cocked and loaded, one-timing a Marner go into the online on the brief facet.
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— The trick was accomplished at 18:55 when Matthews obtained the puck from Liljegren. The latter made a wise play on the Philadelphia blue line, batting down the puck along with his hand and taking management of it earlier than the Flyers may react. Matthews acquired the go and used his patented curl and drag to hit the again of the online, once more on the glove facet on Ersson.
Matthews and Marner have factored on a Leafs aim collectively 211 instances, breaking a staff report held by Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald.
“He’s an unimaginable participant and an amazing particular person and an amazing pal,” Matthews stated. “We attempt to push one another as a lot as we are able to and problem one another to be one of the best variations of ourselves each evening and attempt to lead the staff by instance.
“I really feel fortunate to play with quite a lot of these guys, however the majority of the time, I’m enjoying with him and he’s a particular participant. It’s a blast.”
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Mentioned Keefe: ““It’s exhausting to say that I’ve seen (the chemistry between Matthews and Marner) develop. I feel the rising occurred a very long time in the past and there’s only a consolation degree there.”
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That was the nice.
The ugly?
The Leafs had a 3-1 lead with underneath six minutes to play however couldn’t maintain it.
After Garnet Hathaway scored on a rebound at 14:14 to convey the guests to inside one aim, the Flyers obtained an influence play at 14:39 when Tyler Bertuzzi was referred to as for tripping deep within the offensive zone.
As if Bertuzzi’s constant failure to attain wasn’t sufficient, his penalty got here not lengthy after the Leafs killed off a Noah Gregor minor.
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As Bertuzzi watched from the penalty field, Travis Konecny scored from the facet of the online at 15:15 to make it 3-3 as Ilya Samsonov scrambled to get in place.
A shorthanded aim by Travis Sanheim within the first interval put the Flyers up 1-0.
The Leafs welcomed again Marner and captain John Tavares, who have been absent from the victory in opposition to St. Louis on Tuesday due to sickness. And Nylander was within the lineup after he missed observe on Wednesday for a similar purpose.
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It was the Leafs’ third win in 5 video games because the all-star break — and second in a row with out the suspended Morgan Rielly — with a go to by the Anaheim Geese on Saturday concluding the three-game dwelling stand.
Two nights after they have been defensively glorious in opposition to the Blues with a depleted lineup, the Leafs demonstrated perseverance in opposition to a Flyers group that had received 4 in a row.
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“(After the Flyers tied the sport), I liked how we stored our composure with what was remaining on the clock to ensure we obtained to additional time,” Keefe stated.
In contrast to a 12 months in the past, when their spot within the high three within the Atlantic Division was a foregone conclusion for months, the Leafs might be in a combat to maneuver out of a wildcard spot and into the higher reaches of the Atlantic.
“Every single day you’ve obtained to earn it,” Keefe stated. “Every single day you’re in a combat. Philadelphia is enjoying with a playoff depth, proper from the beginning of the season. That has carried them.
“I feel that’s actually the place you wish to be when the playoffs come round. For us, we’re going to need to play to the extent just like the kind of urgency and dedication like we had the opposite evening (in beating St. Louis), much more with the intention to get into the playoffs.
“It’s that tight and the league throughout us has improved as nicely. In order that’s an element. We count on to be within the combat till the top.”
The Leafs received the spherical on Thursday.
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