TORONTO — Only one other hockey player in the past 106 years has accomplished what Auston Matthews did on Saturday in Toronto, and he’s the one hunting down the NHL’s all-time goals record.
Back-to-back hat tricks to start a season.
What a feat. What a night. What joy.
“It’s fun,” said a smiling Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe, whose very profession attempts to suck fun out of the sport.
Maple Leafs’ Matthews tucks in the backhand to complete absurd back-to-back hat-trick
Yet when your MVP gallops out of the gates healthy as a thoroughbred, aggressive as a Twitter troll, and snipes his way to a 246-goal pace in Week 1, it’s hard to not enjoy a front-row seat to the offensive eruption. (Even if October hockey is a brand unrefined.)
As the Toronto Maple Leafs converted the touchdown in a 7-4 romp over the visiting Minnesota Wild, a franchise known for its low-event outings and bruising defence, Scotiabank Arena’s faithful bucked their wallflower reputation and broke into round after raucous round of The Wave, 60 minutes of vengeance over the city that eliminated their beloved Blue Jays.
After saluting to a standing ovation, Matthews spotted a kid near the glass with a slick blue sequined vest. The boy was wearing a sombrero, holding a Mexican heritage sign, and wishing for a souvenir.
“I gave him the first-star stick,” Matthews says. “He had a nice little getup there and nice sign, so I’m glad I caught him.”
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At this rate, albeit an unsustainable one, no one will catch Matthews.
“He’s feeling it,” teammate Morgan Rielly said. “Whether it’s tips or the wraparound he had tonight or one-timers, shots from the flank, shots on the rush — he can do it all. It’s always been a massive strength.”
Indeed.
But Matthews’s all-around game has never appeared quite this fresh and fierce from jump, and, yes, that includes his four-goal debut.
“Beast mode” is how Toronto captain John Tavares puts it.
In addition to three beautiful, powerful goals, Matthews won most of his draws, registered a game-high four takeaways, blocked a shot, and threw three hits (only crash-and-banger Ryan Reaves threw more for the Leafs).
The engagement and impact levels are high with this one.
To think, the season Matthews scored 60 (2021-22), it took him a dozen games to score his sixth. He’s destroying his own pace.
“I would never question Auston’s motivation and work ethic and commitment,” Keefe said. “But I do think he’s come in refreshed and healthy, and he’s had a really good off-season.
“He’s focused on the big picture here. He’s looking to really drive our team. He knows his job is to score, but I really don’t think he cares how many goals he gets.”
‘He’s focused on the big picture’: Leafs’ Keefe on Matthews stellar start
Matthews became the first Maple Leaf to post consecutive hat tricks since Wendel Clark did so in 1994.
More impressive: Only four other players in NHL history have hung hatties in the first two games of the season: Alex Ovechkin (2017-18), Cy Denneny (1917-18), Joe Malone (1917-18), and Reg Noble (1917-18). (Man, the 2017-18 Rocket Richard Trophy race must’ve bit lit.)
Since Matthews entered the league in 2016, he leads all goal scorers with 305. Ovechkin — generally regarded as goal-scoring’s GOAT — has 297 over that same span, despite playing in 26 more games and firing 214 more shots.
Moreover, the defensively determined Matthews is a career plus-112; Ovechkin is minus-12 since Matthews joined.
“I think the work ethic’s been there both games,” Matthews said. “I want to play at the highest level that I can every night, so I’m not really thinking in the past.”
Matthews’ historic heater will be the focal point, but the Maple Leafs’ offence has shot to No. 1 in the league with a bullet.
William Nylander is dazzling at a $10-million clip (wink), Rielly and Tavares are catching cookies, linemate Mitch Marner is making dangerous moves, and newbie John Klingberg is driving offence from the back end.
New power-play coach Guy Boucher’s system has cashed in on four of seven opportunities, helping the recently acquired Tyler Bertuzzi get on the scoresheet Saturday. And the Leafs have struck twice in 6-on-5 situations, another Boucher assignment.
Even when the Leafs don’t score 5-on-4, they look fierce and have the opposition scrambling.
“It’s a mindset of attacking a little bit more,” said Nylander of Boucher’s tweaks. “Going to the net with the puck is a big thing.”
Adds Matthews: “I think we’re just kind of simplifying it, but in the right way. I think just attacking the net a little bit more and maybe not resetting the puck as much and just trying to attack seams, find the open space and get the puck to the net.”
How Guy Boucher has impacted Maple Leafs red-hot offence early in season
The offensive aggression is paying off early, padding the big guns’ stats and boosting their confidence.
A happy by-product of these shooting stars is that the Maple Leafs’ deficiencies — 4.5 goals against netminder Ilya Samsonov and the defence on average — have been relegated to footnote status. It’s early. There is plenty of time to refine for playoff-like hockey.
In the meantime, Matthews is feeling it. And watching all these goals is a blast.
Not a fun game for goalies.
Especially Minnesota goalies.
Fox’s Fast Five
• Asked both former Wild players Ryan Reaves and John Klingberg who on Minnesota’s roster surprised them during their time there. Their answer was identical: Matt Boldy.
“That Matt Boldy is a really good player. I didn’t know much about him when I came,” Reaves said. “When [Kirill] Kaprizov went down, he led the charge for that month. A young guy that obviously got paid accordingly for what he can do on the ice. Really good on his edges. Really good in the offensive zone.
“He can take games over.”
• Reaves, pre-game, to Minnesota reporters, on facing his former temmates: “Sometimes when you’re better friends with them, you want to lay them out a little more. Unfortunately for them, I became pretty good friends with all of them.”
Reaves, Period 1:
Maple Leafs’ Reaves drops gloves with Foligno after laying out Gaudreau
Matthews presented the Leafs’ player-of-the-game belt to Reaves post-game, then Reaves met Foligno in the hallway between dressing rooms to catch up and share some laughs.
Business never personal.
“Big hits, just kind of getting the momentum back on our side, and he’s not afraid to chuck ’em,” Matthews said of his new teammate. “It’s always awesome to see, and I imagine there’s gonna be a lot more of that throughout the season.”
• When Klingberg set up winking countryman Nylander for a one-timed power-play strike Wednesday, it turns out he was returning a favour.
Nylander had placed one on a platter for the defenceman during Team Sweden’s 2023 victory over rival Finland at the 2023 world championship:
• Rookie centre Fraser Minten had both his parents and his grandparents in the building for Toronto’s home opener Wednesday. Rookie Matthew Knies’ folks made the trip Saturday. But going to a Leafs game to witness your son’s big moments isn’t restricted to players.
The keen eye of Sam Irpak caught Brad’s father, Jim Treliving, on the glass to cheer on the GM’s first win in a new town:
“You never get tired of being proud of your kids,” Jim tweeted. “Lots of change this off-season. Now, excited for the entire Maple Leafs organization and fans. Go Leafs Go!”
• Your daily goal-song report: Because of objections to the lyrics of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” the club won’t be using the Steve Aoki remix as its goal song. Alas, Nick Alberga reports, it was for one night only.
The line “Driving drunk, I’m doin’ my thang” did not go over well.
On Saturday, game ops blasted the upbeat, lyric-free(!) “Düp Düp” by Germany’s Mickie Krause when the home team lit the lamp:
The San Jose Sharks also gave “Düp Düp” a trial run as their goal song seven years ago.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
