TAKEAWAYS: Matthews backs it up in complete Maple Leafs win

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Auston Matthews talked the talk and walked the walk.

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Some 48 hours after the Maple Leafs captain said his team had to wrap their heads around playing better in the final stretch to the Stanley Cup playoffs, Matthews stepped forward in a 6-2 beating of the Calgary Flames on Monday night.

Our takeaways from the Leafs’ 40th win of the 2024-25 season, one that was just Toronto’s second victory in seven games:

CAPTAIN CLUTCH

Leafs coach Craig Berube reunited the top line of Matthews between Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner and the trio set the tone right away at Scotiabank Arena, playing with quickness and determination from the opening shift.

The rest of the Leafs followed and while Calgary tied the game 1-1 before the end of the period, the outcome was never truly in doubt.

Matthews scored two power-play goals in the second period, putting the game out of the Flames’ reach. It was the 36th time in his Leafs career that Matthews recorded a multi-goal period, passing Darryl Sittler for the most in team history.

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“That’s your leader, right?” Berube said. “Led the way. Led the way with effort, competitiveness, just work.

“Our big boys came through, produced for us, led with the way we needed to play. That’s the key.”

Indeed. Matthews, Marner and William Nylander combined for eight points as the Leafs kept pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division. Tampa beat Philadelphia on Monday night.

The Leafs dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 71% of the draws (37-for-52), and Matthews was at the forefront, winning 13 of his 17.

Speaking of Matthews, Max Domi said: “He’s the man. He battles through. He’s probably the hardest-working guy I’ve ever played with my whole career, and I’ve played with a lot of guys. He’s driving the bus for sure, and it’s tough not to jump on board with a guy like that.”

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For a few hours — until the players have to re-focus to prepare to play the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday — the Leafs turned down the temperature around them.

Things were getting testy, to say the least, in Leafs Nation following losses to Florida and Ottawa to start this four-game home stand.

“We’re not too worried about that,” Matthews said. “In this room, we’re making sure that everybody has each other’s back, and we’re making sure that we know that we have better in here, we have a higher compete level.

“I thought it was a good step in the right direction for us. We know that this week is going to be a challenging one. We’re playing some good teams. We have to enjoy this.

“It’s not easy to win, especially when you know you’re going through adversity. We’ll enjoy this and we’ll get ready for a really good team coming in here on Wednesday, and just try to keep this rolling.”

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ROBERTSON RELIEVED

After taking just three minors in his previous 56 games, Leafs winger Nick Robertson hit a couple of bumps but managed to find some redemption.

Robertson was sent to the box midway through the first period for unsportsmanlike conduct after shooting the puck several seconds after the whistle — a major sin in the National Hockey League, as we all know — and early in the second was called for high-sticking.

Later in the period, Robertson deposited a Domi pass behind Flames goalie Dustin Wolf for what wound up being the game-winner.

“I didn’t hear the whistle,” Robertson said. “I wouldn’t have (taken a shot), because that cost us a penalty. I don’t want to be in the box.”

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Berube had a different take.

“We have to be more disciplined,” Berube said. “That’s the bottom line. You can’t shoot a puck after a whistle. He said he never heard a whistle. But I heard it.”

The line of Domi between Robertson and Bobby McMann was effective throughout the night, playing with the urgency the Leafs required after the malaise of the past few games. McMann scored the Leafs’ final goal, ending a skid of 12 games without one.

“They had the hound mentality in them,” Berube said. “I thought that they all were skating, working, in the face of the other team, didn’t give them time and space. That was a key for their line.”

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IN A GROOVE

Joseph Woll’s first game in a week was sharp.

The Leafs goalie made 24 saves, and though the Flames didn’t have many high-danger scoring chances, Woll was solid when it was needed.

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Woll has won four of his five starts since the 4 Nations Face-Off break ended, but has required offensive help from his teammates to help cover up some blemishes. Not so on Monday.

After Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson scored late in the first period, the only other puck to get past Woll came in the final minute of the game. A shot by Kevin Bahl hit Leafs centre Scott Laughton and bounced into the net.

“It’s important from a team standpoint, an individual standpoint, to go out and have a good game, get us back on track,” Woll said. “My focus was on doing my job moment-to-moment, and we had a good outcome.”

The Leafs’ goaltending hasn’t been spectacular since the break. Woll should be able to use his performance as confidence boost going into his next start.

Now, it’s on Anthony Stolarz in his next start, likely against Colorado, to help keep the good vibes going.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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