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If house is the place the fireside is, Auston Matthews now has a pink purpose gentle over his Bay St. fire.
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Not solely did he rating his first of the yr in Thursday evening’s 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, it made him the fourth Leaf in group historical past to get 200 residence objectives and first solely within the Air Canada Centre-Scotiabank Enviornment period. The others have been Darryl Sittler (231), Dave Keon (225) and Mats Sundin (217), who started his run when Toronto nonetheless performed out of Maple Leaf Gardens.
Since being drafted first total in 2016, Matthews’ No. 34 sweaters have been a part of the seat upholstery, from the luxurious platinums to the nosebleeds within the purples.
Matthews additionally turn out to be the eleventh energetic NHLer to notch 200 residence objectives and outpaced every of these gamers by reaching the mark in 279 video games, together with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, who wanted 321 appearances.
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Matthews additionally moved as much as 369 profession objectives, placing him 20 again of Sittler for second place in franchise historical past.
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Auston Matthews scores first purpose, Bobby McMann provides pair as Maple Leafs beat Los Angeles Kings
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BLUE BLOODS ON KINGS
The Kings nonetheless have a robust Toronto really feel to them.
Trevor Moore was their main goal-scorer final yr, a Leaf first again in 2018-19 when the southern Californian changed one other when Matthews was injured. Winger Alex Leferriere was as soon as a Toronto draft alternative traded within the package deal for Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford, whereas goalie David Rittich performed three video games on his manner via city in 2021. Rittich didn’t end Thursday’s recreation, pulled after 4 objectives for Pheonix Copley.
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Kings coach Jim Hiller was on Mike Babcock’s workers in Toronto and was with Barry Trotz and the Islanders earlier than Trotz and he have been each let go when present Leaf assistant Lane Lambert grew to become New York’s head coach. Hiller’s affiliate is D.J. Smith, a former Leaf participant and assistant.
HE CAN KOPE
Toronto coach Craig Berube is extra acquainted than most Leafs with Kings captain Anze Kopitar from years teaching towards him with St. Louis. Kopitar is arising on 1,400 NHL video games, all with the Kings.
“Only a nice two-way participant,” Berube mentioned in reward. “It appears recreation in and recreation out, he’s the identical. Nice defensively, dimension. Not overly quick, however quick sufficient. He has the flexibility to complete and to make performs. He’s been in each key state of affairs for them for years.”
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HELPING HANDS
Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defenceman Chris Tanev and winger Nick Robertson all helped serve dinners at Covenant Home on Thanksgiving Monday. The residence is the biggest company in Canada serving youth who’re homeless, trafficked or in danger.
“It was thrilling, first to have the ability to give again to the group,” Stolarz mentioned. “I heard it’s 9 or 10 years that the Leafs have been doing that at Covenant Home. To have the ability to assist out and unfold some vacation pleasure was a number of enjoyable.
“Lots of people have been asking questions. There have been a few goalies in the home. I used to be capable of choose their mind, they have been capable of choose mine.”
LOOSE LEAFS
Till William Nylander’s power-play purpose, the Leafs hadn’t gone the primary 4 video games and not using a man-advantage tally since 1981-82 … 4 totally different Leaf defencemen took minor penalties on Thursday … Stolarz made 24 saves earlier than Alex Turcotte beat him early within the third … Bobby McMann was within the hunt for a hat trick, attempting to be the primary Leaf aside from Matthews to get three-goal video games in the identical calendar yr of the previous decade … Along with Jake McCabe engineering a few good assists, he hit Kings winger Andre Lee laborious sufficient to pop the gate open in entrance of the Leaf tunnel … The Garson Neighborhood Centre and Enviornment in Better Sudbury has been renamed for late Leaf star George Armstrong. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Sudbury native Joe Bowen as MC takes place Thursday afternoon … Max Domi was being requested earlier than the sport what number of of his father Tie’s fights he watches. It was 29 years in the past Thursday that Tie obtained eight video games for his sucker-punch of Ranger Ulf Samuelsson on the Gardens.
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