Matthews gets 100th point, Maple Leafs cruise past Capitals
Auston Matthews became the third player to score 100 points in a season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, helping them to a 7-3 victory against the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
Matthews had two assists, William Nylander, Michael Bunting and Ilya Mikheyev each scored twice, and John Tavares had four assists for the Maple Leafs (48-20-6). Jack Campbell made 22 saves.
John Carlson, Tom Wilson and Nic Dowd scored for the Capitals (41-23-10), who had won four straight. Ilya Samsonov made 15 saves on 19 shots before being replaced by Vitek Vanecek, who made 10 saves.
Darryl Sittler (100 in 1975-76, 117 in 1977-78) and Doug Gilmour (127 in 1992-93, 111 in 1993-94) each scored 100 points twice in a season for Toronto.
Bunting put the Maple Leafs ahead 1-0 at 4:37 of the first period with a one-timer from the left side. Matthews got an assist for his 100th point.
Nylander made it 2-0 with a slap shot on the rush at 13:34.
Carlson cut it 2-1 at 10:08 of the second period when he cut to the net and scored around Campbell.
Ilya Lyubushkin gave the Maple Leafs a 3-1 lead at 10:19, and Nylander pushed it to 4-1 at the left post 18 seconds later at 10:37. Samsonov was pulled immediately following the goal.
Mikheyev made it 5-1 at 14:44 at the side of the net off a feed from Matthews. The assist gave Matthews 101 points (58 goals, 43 assists) in 69 games.
Bunting extended the lead to 6-1 at 16:25, and Wilson cut it to 6-2 with 53 seconds left on a one-timer from the left face-off circle.
Mikheyev made it 7-2 at 1:27 of the third period.
Dowd pulled Washington within 7-3 at 11:58 on a rebound at the top of the crease.
How your Buds lineup 🆚 Washington@FanDuelCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/1Xgjh55MjB
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 14, 2022
7EAFS WIN!!! #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/aHdzaQMq8l
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 15, 2022
Scarborough Star ⭐️#LeafsForever | @Molson_Canadian pic.twitter.com/PIZIWNgiwm
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 15, 2022
Another game, another milestone for @AM34 🔥.
Auston Matthews became the third player in @MapleLeafs history to hit 100 points in a season and the first in 28 years.#NHLStats: https://t.co/7MM1NhXCe5 pic.twitter.com/DPQYyzpirY
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 14, 2022
MO Milestones!!! pic.twitter.com/dHf9i8ovwY
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 15, 2022
500 🍎 for the captain 👏 pic.twitter.com/ratk2TjH0O
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 15, 2022