Habs’ crease cross-checks irk Matthews
TORONTO — Hidden somewhere in the No. 34 on Auston Matthews’ back is a target.
It’s one that not only will attract the general attention of the opposition in every Maple Leafs game in the North Division this season, but also some lumber whenever Toronto’s best player takes up space in the crease area in front of the opposition’s net.
The net-front cross-checks are par for the course for forwards who dare venture so close to enemy goaltenders. Penalties for said stick work, however, not always are.
Matthews took a couple of cross-checks, courtesy of Montreal Canadiens defencemen Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot, in the final seconds of regulation in the season opener on Wednesday night and was wincing in pain afterward, though he stayed active and helped set up Morgan Rielly’s overtime winner.
Matthews and others know what kind of treatment they’re going to endure whenever they set up near the blue paint. Hearing the whistle a little bit more often as the season progresses would be music to Matthews’ ears.
“You always want to protect the players,” Matthews said after the Leafs practised at the Ford Performance Centre on Thursday, before travelling to Ottawa for a two-game set against the Senators on Friday and Saturday.
“Guys have a right to defend the net and create that body position. I think they have to find that happy medium as far as penalties and refereeing goes, and just have to stay consistent.
“We’re only one game in, so it’s tough to judge. We’ll see how it goes throughout the season. It’s a fine line.”
Leafs captain John Tavares had a similar take.
“There’s certainly got to be a line in the sand somewhere,” Tavares said. “It’s highly contested area and the defending team has the right to defend it. But I think it gets to a point where it crosses the line and it should be called, and just for that line to be consistent on a nightly basis.”
That kind of attention is nothing new for Matthews, who scored 47 goals in 70 games last season and would have hit 50 had the initial days of the impact of the coronavirus not paused, and later ended, the 2019-20 regular season last March.
Matthews was the pick for many to win the Rocket Richard Trophy this season, and though he had a team-high seven of the Leafs’ 34 shots (and 14 attempts in total) on Carey Price on Wednesday, did not score.
Skating at 10 pounds below his previous playing weight of 220 pounds, the slimmer Matthews has added a further element of quickness to his game.
Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe went to the Matthews well often against the Canadiens, using Matthews for 25 minutes two seconds, the most ice time among Leafs forwards.
“I felt pretty good,” Matthews said. “I think it’s natural that you’re going to get tired with no exhibition games, but I think it’s good to jump out of the gate with a lot of games to get our legs under us.
“Throughout the game I started to feel better and better. As the games go along, you’ll see the pace of play continue to elevate.”
While the line of Matthews between Joe Thornton and Mitch Marner didn’t produce an even-strength goal, the trio was the Leafs’ best in possession, often taking the edge against the Canadiens’ top line centred by Phillip Danault.
“He’s easy to play with,” Matthews said of Thornton. “Those little give-and-go plays, trying to create little wedges … we’re still trying to adapt and learn, but we’ve created some good chances, communicating a lot. It’s really positive, the direction it’s heading.”
Keefe might have concurred. And as for the netfront attention Matthews will continue to get, Keefe understands it’s going to happen.
“It’s very much in the fabric of the sport in terms of the competitiveness and how hard it is, especially around the net,” Keefe said.
“The NHL has made great strides to protect the players over the years and they’ll continue to look at things along the way that can help make it safer, not just for stars like Auston, but for all players.”