Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs React to Major Auston Matthews News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Spencer Garrett Ostrow | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 10:26 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, needing just one point to clinch the Atlantic Division title for the third time in the expansion era.

The game remained scoreless through the first period, but it was all Toronto on the offensive end from then on. Steven Lorentz netted one in the second, and then the Leafs added three more in the third to secure a 4-0 win.

On the team's third goal, Auston Matthews buried home an empty-netter for his 400th career goal. He joined Mats Sundin (420) as the only players in franchise history to reach that mark.

Matthews also became the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to hit 400 goals, doing it in just 628 games. The only players to get there quicker include Wayne Gretzky (436), Mike Bossy (506), Mario Lemieux (508), Brett Hull (520), and Jari Kurri (608).

The Maple Leafs took to social media after Matthews' goal to share their reaction. The team pointed out a classy move by Mitch Marner, who scooped the puck out of the net so Matthews could bring it home.

"Of course Mitchy got the puck ," the Maple Leafs wrote.

Of course Mitchy got the puck pic.twitter.com/TSxwgUOP9z
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 16, 2025

Matthews and Marner are one of the NHL's top duos. They both made their NHL debuts in 2016 and have since combined for over 1,450 career points. Their relationship off the ice is a special one, too.

"He and I have been through a lot together," Marner said in 2022. “Obviously, we want to achieve great things together as well... He's my brother."

Matthews, Marner and the rest of the Maple Leafs are hoping to carry their momentum into the playoffs as they aim to make it past the second round for the first time since 2004.

With one regular-season game left against the Detroit Red Wings, they’ll then gear up for the Battle of Ontario with the Ottawa Senators.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: