Auston Matthews credits the Leafs’ competitiveness as the key to OT win vs. Devils

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews felt that his team’s competitive spirit played a big role in their gutsy 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Toronto was chasing the game most of the night and when it was able to pull even, it allowed New Jersey to pull back ahead quickly. But they remained in it and kept pummelling the shots to give themselves a fighting chance, which they were rewarded with two goals each from Matthews and William Nylander.

“ Just dealing with it and I thought we competed hard all game,” Matthews said post-game. “Just had to battle our way and grind through and push it to the end,” he said. “It took the full 60 minutes plus but I’m just proud of the guys in just sticking with it. Everybody through all four lines, let the competitiveness push us through.”

With all of the noise surrounding the team that was struggling through a three-game slump going into the contest, the Leafs responded with an emphatic showing that helped ease the fears. They could have easily let the negativity seep into their heads and allow the slump to go on for even longer, but they kept digging in and never took their foot off the gas to secure themselves two huge points.

Matthews’ first goal of the game was on the power play, and he felt that gave the Leafs some momentum in the third period when the chips were down.

“  I think a lot of times getting those power plays, even if you don’t score you’re trying to get the momentum back,” he said. “ But getting that goal to tie it up was big.  It brought some life onto the bench, brought some life into the arena which was nice. And we just went from there.”

Matthews continued to stick with it and was able to give his Leafs another clutch goal late in the third to even it up again. Suffice it to say that he is feeling a lot better about his game now after a rough showing the last few games defensively.

“ He’s had a couple nice shots over the past few games,” Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll said of Matthews. “ I mean, I see him every day in practice and does the same thing to me,  so a little bit of empathy for the other goalies.  But when he’s in alone like that, you count it.”

One thing that played a big role in the win was having defenceman Jake McCabe back in the lineup. The Leafs badly missed him in the four games he was absent due to an upper-body injury and his reinstatement gave his team a big boost at both ends of the ice.

Not only were the Leafs able to get their shutdown pair back together in him and Chris Tanev, but McCabe also chipped two assists including on the OT winner from Nylander.

“He plays such a big role on our team back there,” Matthews said of having McCabe back. “Offensively, but defensively but he’s playing against the top line’s top players. He brings that physicality and he’s a guy that’s been around for a while. He plays a big role on our team, so it meant a lot to have him back tonight. He played great.”

Above all else, the Leafs were able to stay in the game because their captain led the charge and made it count when it mattered. It was the kind of performance the team needed at a time when the city appeared ready to explode because of how poorly the last three games went. It’s why he is paid the big bucks and when he is delivering showings such as this one, the Leafs will have a good chance to do something special.

“He led the way,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said regarding his captain, “I thought that he was dialed in, he was working, shooting, attacking, doing a lot of good things, we need that from our leader.”