When the Columbus Blue Jackets play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, they will have to contend with a hot-shooting Auston Matthews.
After scoring two goals and dishing out two assists in Tuesday night’s 7-3 road victory over the New York Rangers, Matthews has five goals in his last three games, or seven in his last five.
“Maybe you just feel like you’re in a rhythm or a bit of a flow out there,” Matthews stated. “We’ve done a fantastic job of just competing and regaining the puck, in my opinion. You know, sometimes it’s just those one-on-one fights and encouraging each other throughout the rink that count.”
With 21 goals, Matthews is currently tied for the league lead going into play on Wednesday. Brock Boeser of Vancouver also has 21 goals following his hat trick on Tuesday.
In Monday night’s 4-3 overtime road loss to the New York Islanders, Matthews scored a goal.
Sheldon Keefe, the Toronto coach, stated, “I think Auston has changed the dynamic for Auston.” “He seems to be playing with a lot more confidence and shooting the puck with greater frequency. It seems to me that Auston has made the decision to play more offensively with more assertiveness. Simply because Auston is more cautious. He’s going after the net. He’s attempting to recover the puck after shooting it. I believe that’s where Auston truly comes to life.”
The Maple Leafs, winners of three straight, saw Mitchell Marner add two goals and an assist on Tuesday, extending their point streak to seven games (5-0-2). In his first season start against the Rangers, Martin Jones made 28 saves.
Tuesday’s Maple Leafs got off to a fast start and led 4-1 at the end of the first frame.
“Keeping pressure up ice, keeping pressure in the (offensive) zone, making their best people play defence,” Marner stated. “We’ve done that fairly well in the last few games. We have improved in this area, which is something we knew we needed to do.”
Columbus recently suffered a 5-2 home defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. The NHL suspended Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson for one game following an altercation with Nick Cousins of Florida.
Gudbranson was removed from the game for starting a brawl with Cousins. Gudbranson got into the fight as payback for Cousins hitting him from behind earlier in the third quarter. Following a review, the cousins’ major penalty for boarding on the play was reduced to a minor.
“Gudbranson is a genuine individual,” stated Pascal Vincent, the coach of the Blue Jackets. “With the boards facing him, he is exposed. It was, we think, five minutes. In the event that that call is made (as a major), nothing follows, not even in terms of game misconduct.”
“It’s a terrible hit, I was walking around, pacing through my hallway trying to calm down back at home, just happy that my legs still work,” Gudbranson stated. “That’s the level of danger that was involved with that.”
Goalie Jet Greaves has been sent back to Cleveland of the American Hockey League, and goaltender Daniil Tarasov has been recalled by Columbus.
