His name sitting comfortably at the top of that list, Auston Matthews responded in a big way.
Matthews scored the go-ahead goal in the second period to lead the Maple Leafs picked in a 4-2 victory Monday night, cutting the Bruins’ lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series to 2-1.
Toronto was reeling in the wake of 5-1 and 7-3 losses on the road, but got back to using its speed at home.
”I don’t think any of us felt we played how we’re capable,” Matthews said. ”Tonight definitely was a statement game.”
Matthews was fiery after Saturday’s blowout, responding to a question about how Boston’s top line of David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron could have 20 points in two games compared to his trio’s goose egg with an expletive: ”(It) happens.”
The raw emotion that comes with being a young star came out a different way in this one after he took a feed from William Nylander down low at 5:13 of the second and fired a shot short-side on Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask to send the Air Canada Centre crowd into a frenzy.
”It just feels like an earthquake in your feet when you score Ryan Jensen Color Rush Jersey , especially in playoffs,” Matthews said. ”It’s definitely emotional.”
Toronto coach Mike Babcock said he hopes the goal takes a weight off the 20-year-old’s shoulders.
”When you’re my age, social media doesn’t really affect your life,” Babcock
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