(Toronto) Star forward Auston Matthews continued his irresistible streak and scored two goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs inflicted a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Posted at 9:59 p.m.
Matthews’ two goals allowed him to become the first player to score at least 50 goals in as many games since a certain Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. Lemieux – like Matthews – had scored 51 goals in 50 games between October 26, 1995 and March 7, 1996.
John Tavares completed the scoring for the Maple Leafs (47-19-6), who posted a second straight victory. At the same time, they confirmed their participation in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Joel Edmundson and Cole Caufield fought back for the Canadiens (20-41-11), who may have lost another goaltender to injury.
Jake Allen, who stopped 14 of 15 shots he faced, left the game midway through the first period with a lower-body injury. Samuel Montembeault replaced him and made 23 additional saves. It is unknown at this time the nature of Allen’s injury, as well as the duration of his absence.
At the other end of the rink, the Leafs sent rookie goaltender Erik Källgren into the fray, making his seventh career NHL start. The 25-year-old Swede, who suffered the loss against the Habs on March 26, stopped 24 shots in front of the Toronto cage.
It was the fourth and final game of the 2021-22 campaign between the two teams, who shared the honors of this series.
After the game, the Canadiens returned home for their Monday night game against the Winnipeg Jets.
An inspiring video for Matthews
The Maple Leafs highlighted the 55and and 56and Matthews nets the season against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night by playing a short video on the giant screen during a first-period break. Those goals allowed him to surpass Rick Vaive’s mark (54) for the most goals in a single season in Toronto franchise history.
Matthews seemed whipped by this attention.
The 24-year-old American first took advantage of a lucky rebound to outsmart Allen and get his 57and net of the countryside – and its 50and in his last 50 games – at 13:32 of the first period. Allen appeared to injure his groin on the streak, and he had to be escorted to the locker room with the help of a team therapist.
Then, 27 seconds later, after Montembeault took over, Matthews struck again for his 58and goal of the season. It was already 2-0 in favor of the locals. Returning from intermission, the Maple Leafs kept the pressure on the Habs, but it did not flinch. In fact, he even narrowed the gap to just one goal at 5:58.
William Nylander was initially frustrated on the breakaway past Montembeault then, on the next restart – initiated by a decisive play from Caufield – Edmundson scored his second goal of the campaign.
Tavares restored a two-goal cushion 2:09 later, but Caufield came back on the charge by beating Källgren with a brisk wrist shot with 1:57 to go.
That was enough to propel Torontonians into the great spring dance.