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WINNIPEG \u2014 Despite the healthy contingent of Toronto Maple Leafs fans inside the Canada Life Centre, the most fervent of Winnipeg Jets fans picked out public enemy No. 1 on Saturday night: the man who continues to put the Leafs on his back through his best stretch of the season.<\/p>\n
Every time Auston Matthews touched the puck late in the game, boos rained down from a typically relentless crowd. The captain had already found the back of the net to open the Leafs\u2019 scoring and begin their comeback. It was Matthews\u2019 10th goal in his last 11 games.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s partly why the boos didn\u2019t shake him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not booing for no reason,\u201d Matthews said postgame.<\/p>\n
Matthews again proved why those boos were justified in overtime. Despite being arguably the best shooter in hockey, Matthews held onto the puck long enough to shake Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and serve up a pass to Max Domi on a platter. Domi buried the pass past Hellebuyck, giving the Leafs a 4-3 win that at times looked in question.<\/p>\n
It was a win they would not have gotten without Matthews.<\/p>\n
It was also a win that ended an up-and-down road trip with five points out of a possible eight, during which Matthews himself logged five points. The Leafs now have points in 12 of their last 13 games, and it\u2019s no surprise that throughout those 13 games, Matthews has completely turned around his game.<\/p>\n
After a difficult stretch to start the season where Matthews looked hampered by injury, his return to prominence has come in concert with the Leafs\u2019 revamped play. That was a prominent part of the story during Saturday\u2019s win over the Jets.<\/p>\n
It was a win, and it was (another) performance from Matthews that reminded the hockey world that reports of his demise may have been greatly exaggerated.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been big time,\u201d Bobby McMann, who had an important score-tying goal, said of Matthews. \u201cLeading by example, doing all the little things, winning battles. You don\u2019t get those points and those goals without winning battles, being competitive, and wanting to win games first and foremost. And that\u2019s how he contributes, leading like that and scoring and generating a lot of chances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Against the Jets, Matthews led all Leafs forwards with 21:38 on the ice. He was again strong in the faceoff circle, winning eight of 13 draws.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg held a 3-1 lead in the third period that looked commanding, and the threat of a three-game losing streak for the Leafs felt very real. Matthews continued to lead the way, however, driving toward the Jets\u2019 net and breaking up plays with his stick work.<\/p>\n
The Leafs as an entire unit deserve credit for their resiliency at the end of a long road trip, but it feels like they\u2019re getting more and more direction from their captain when they need it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s difficult to imagine the Leafs standing any chance in the playoff fight without Matthews being at his best.<\/p>\n
Matthews wasn\u2019t the only Leaf who pushed his team forward in a frigid Winnipeg night, however. Dennis Hildeby stopped all seven of the shots he faced with the Jets on the power play, keeping the Leafs in the game. Hildeby\u2019s play of late is why the Leafs are likely considering keeping three NHL goalies on their roster.<\/p>\n
Oliver Ekman-Larsson also had one of his best games of the season: The defenceman had one goal, three points, was +4 and logged over 25 minutes of ice time, making you forget he\u2019s 34 years old. Ekman-Larsson\u2019s quick, heads-up play forced a Jets turnover in overtime. He sprung Matthews for the 2-of-1 that ended the game. It was the kind of performance that left no doubt why Ekman-Larsson made Sweden\u2019s Olympic team and why he\u2019s so crucial to the Leafs\u2019 playoff hopes.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been good all year,\u201d Leafs head coach Berube said of Ekman-Larsson. \u201cHe had a good game today, really good game from a points standpoint. But I think all year he\u2019s been solid defensively, offensively, all the things we ask him to do, right? Playing with different partners most of the year, playing the right side, left side. He\u2019s been just a solid player, a real good pro. He\u2019s playing like a real pro right now. He gives us a lot every night, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, during an ugly stretch through November and December, the Leafs needed Matthews, their captain and top player. The world\u2019s best players take their teams on their backs when required. That wasn\u2019t happening for Matthews, and Toronto\u2019s playoff hopes looked dashed for good.<\/p>\n
Everything has changed for the Leafs with Matthews\u2019 resurgence. He\u2019s showing the kind of passion and energy through games, especially during celebrations, that he didn\u2019t have early in the year.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Matthews) is leading the ship, he\u2019s the captain, and he\u2019s our best player. So he\u2019s laying on the line every night and leading the way,\u201d Domi said.<\/p>\n
Crucially, Matthews led the Leafs on Saturday with William Nylander out of the lineup due to an injury he suffered on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Saturday morning that Nylander would probably not play on Monday against the Minnesota Wild and did not know exactly how long he would be out.<\/p>\n
Nylander\u2019s absence is coupled with the Leafs\u2019 other stars going through dry spells, offensively. John Tavares has two points in his last four games. Matthew Knies has two points in his last six games.<\/p>\n
That means in the short term, Matthews will need to continue doing much of the heavy lifting offensively to get the Leafs back into a playoff position. If his performance against the Jets was any indication, he seems primed to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery guy in this locker room believes (Matthews) is one of the best players in the world. We know that,\u201d Domi said.<\/p>\n
Another pertinent note on Matthews: The boos certainly don\u2019t faze him as he\u2019s been incredibly productive on the road. Matthews has logged 15 points in 20 road games he\u2019s played, tied with Oliver Ekman-Larsson for first among all Leafs.<\/p>\n
That matters. Even after this lengthy four-game road trip, the Maple Leafs will still spend the majority of the rest of their season on the road. Nineteen of the Leafs\u2019 final 34 games won\u2019t be at Scotiabank Arena. They\u2019ll continue to need Matthews to produce offence as the travel adds up.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Matthews) was good all game. He was skating and attacking all game, he had his legs,\u201d Berube said.<\/p>\n
After Matthews finished his postgame media availability, the Leafs buzzed around him with their typical postgame routines. Still, the Leafs captain stood with his eyes transfixed, watching the final minutes of the Montreal Canadiens-Ottawa Senators game play out on a nearby television.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t say a word as his countryman Cole Caufield scored the overtime winner for the Canadiens. Matthews appeared focused solely on getting to where Caufield and the Canadiens are, five points clear of the Leafs and firmly in one of the three Atlantic Division playoff spots. The Buffalo Sabres and the Boston Bruins also got points Saturday night, keeping the Leafs on the outside looking into the playoff picture.<\/p>\n
To reach the postseason, the Leafs will need Matthews\u2019 gaze to remain as firmly fixed as it was, on the ice and off of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n