Matthews has made the most out of his first 99 games

Time seems to have whipped past like one of his quick release goals, but Auston Matthews is on the cusp of his 100th National Hockey League regular season game.

So, just what hashed one in the first 99? Merely justified much of the hype surrounding his arrival as first overall pick. He led the Leaf sin scoring his first year, is ahead this term despite missing four games, with 21 points to make it 90 in 89 regular season appearances. He’s been to the World Cup, the allstar game, the playoffs, his highlight goals top the sportscasts and though the media grind sometimes isn’t his favourite part of the day, he’s saavy enough to know how it works, home and away, using the podium top raise or poke his teammates.

Hero-hungry Toronto has embraced the kid from Arizona, his No. 34 is a best-seller sweater and chants of his name echoed down from the cheap seats at the Bell Centre on Saturday night after two goals, the ‘real’ Leaf fans who take such road trips letting him know he’s appreciated.

“It’s flown by,” Matthews said as he prepared for the milestone match against the Coyotes here Monday in a bit of scheduling kismet .“Tyler Bo zak told me I was at 98( before Montreal) so it would be pretty cool if it’s the hundredth, especially against the hometown team. A lot of good friends are playing for them now.”

CLOUDS GATHERING

As an old NHL sea dog, Ron Hainsey knows when rough weather is on the horizon.

That’s why the 36-year-old defenceman wasn’t getting too excited about a six-game winning streak that coincided with the start of a new five-game team segment in Montreal and what appears to be favourable conditions much of this week, with Montreal disposed of, Arizona next and middle-of-the-pack Florida and Carolina later on.