Matthews scores twice in Maple Leafs win against Senators
Also has two assists to extend personal point streak to 15 games for Toronto
Auston Matthews had two goals and two assists to extend his personal point streak to 15 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 7-3 win against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
Matthews has 24 points (16 goals, eight assists) during that span and his active 12-game point streak is the longest in the NHL this season.
Mitchell Marner had a goal and three assists, Joe Thornton had a goal and two assists, and Michael Hutchinson made 34 saves in his season debut for the Maple Leafs (13-3-2), who have a point in 12 of their past 13 games (10-1-2).
Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist for the Senators (4-14-1), who were coming off a 2-1 loss here on Wednesday and went 1-2-0 in the three-game set. Matt Murray allowed six goals on 26 shots in relief of Marcus Hogberg, who left 12 minutes into the first period with a lower-body injury after allowing one goal on five shots.
Matthews gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 10:29 of the first period with a power-play goal, and Thornton redirected a point shot from Jake Muzzin in the slot at 16:43 to make it 2-0.
Stutzle cut it to 2-1 at 17:51 when he scored short side on Hutchinson from the bottom of the left circle, but Matthews tucked in his second at the right post at 19:37 to make it 3-1.
Ilya Mikheyev pushed the lead to 4-1 at 1:39 of the second period.
Marner put the Maple Leafs ahead 5-1 at 3:45 when he got around Mike Reilly and shot over Murray’s left shoulder from just above the goal crease.
Connor Brown scored to make it 5-2 at 7:37, but William Nylander responded at 11:00 on the power play to make it 6-2.
Drake Batherson banked a shot off Maple Leafs defenseman Mikko Lehtonen’s skate at 11:11 of the third period to cut it to 6-3.
John Tavares made it 7-3 at 16:53 with his first goal in seven games.
Toronto played without forward Zach Hyman, who missed the game after sustaining an injury in the win against the Senators on Wednesday. Keefe said he is day to day.
Ottawa was without defenseman Thomas Chabot, who was a late scratch.
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Tonight’s @OntarioLottery Game Winning Numbers. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/ii788VQmLz
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) February 19, 2021
#Sens head coach D.J. Smith reflects on tonight's game against Toronto.#GoSensGo | @Molson_Canadian pic.twitter.com/CQnUAumM9M
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 19, 2021
Auston Matthews scored two goals in the first period for the @MapleLeafs.@AM34 now has an official point streak of 12 games (14-4—18 in 12 GP) and has recorded a point in each of his last 15 appearances overall (16-6—22 in in 15 GP). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/zoWmyFQiqo
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 19, 2021
Joe Thornton (41 years, 231 days) is the oldest player in @MapleLeafs history to record three or more points in a regular-season game. Carl Brewer (41 years, 78 days) had previously held the distinction. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/aDwK243KLw
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 19, 2021