The Toronto Maple Leafs set a team record for points in a season at 105 with a 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Air Canada Centre on Saturday.
Toronto’s previous record was 103 points during the 2003-04 season.
“It’s really cool. To get that record is great, it’s a milestone, but it’s something you put in your back pocket and you look forward to the playoffs,” Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman said. “That’s where everything really matters. Everybody remembers the good playoff teams and the teams that win in the playoffs, not the good regular season teams.”
Frederik Andersen made 31 saves for the Maple Leafs (49-26-7) to win a team-record 38th game in a single season. Andersen had shared the record at 37 wins with Ed Belfour (2002-03) and Andrew Raycroft (2006-07).
“It’s fun when you set goals at the beginning of the year and you achieve some of them, but it goes without saying there’s bigger goals,” Andersen said. “It’s important to have goals in between that and have something to play for in the regular season. It shows how well we’ve been playing all year.”
Zach Hyman, Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau scored, and Jake Gardiner had two assists for the Maple Leafs, who finished third in the Atlantic Division and will face the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“We weren’t very good through two periods but we found a way to win and it’s real good for Freddie,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “I think it’s fantastic for him to have the Leafs record. He’s been a huge part of our team since he’s come here. To have that record is a special, special thing. The guys were pumped for him.”
Always here for first star @f_andersen30. pic.twitter.com/UWccFAzW8I
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 8, 2018
#StandWitness pic.twitter.com/U7bht1w4Nm
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 8, 2018