Auston-tatious rookie lifts Leafs in overtime
Auston Matthews put on a show for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first outdoor game of his career.
The starry rookie scored in regulation and overtime to lead the Maple Leafs to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the Centennial Classic at BMO Field on Sunday.
In a game delayed 30 minutes at the start because of brilliant sun reflecting off the ice, Matthews won it with his 20th goal of the season after the Leafs blew a three-goal lead in the third period.
Toronto has won five straight to improve to 17-12-7.
After eluding Red Wings defender Danny DeKeyser, the 19-year-old Matthews flipped a quick backhander into the top of the net at 3:40 of overtime.
“Definitely one of the best moments in hockey I’ve ever experienced” Matthews said. “It’s pretty special.”
Toronto won after Detroit’s Anthony Mantha tied it with 1.1 seconds left in regulation.
“To get a big goal like that, youdon’twanttocallitastorybook ending, but you may as well, right?” Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly said about Matthews’ first career OT goal.
Leo Komarov, Mitch Marner and Connor Brown also scored for Toronto and Frederik Andersen made 33 saves.
Matthews has scored in four straight games and has 13 goals in the last 17 outings.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in this room surprised by it,” Rielly said. “He’s got a skill setthatallowshimtodothings a lot of others can’t. But on top of that, he’s got a good brain. He works hard and he’s playing with good teammates. We have lots of faith that it’s going tocontinuetorollthewayitis.”
Mantha scored twice for Detroit, Jonathan Ericsson and Dylan Larkin added goals and rookie Jared Coreau stopped 23 shots as the Red Wings dropped to 16-16-5.
“It’s all about confidence,” Mantha said.
“The chemistry is also coming along, the coaches having confidence in me also, giving me more ice time, so I just need to keep playing the way I am.”
After Mantha opened the scoring in the second period, the teams combined for seven goals in the third.
Komarov tied it 1:23 into the final frame. Fed by Jake Gardiner, who fetched a loose puck in the corner of the Detroit zone, Komarov stuffed his sixth goal of the season past Coreau.
Marner put the Leafs ahead at 8:23, storming past Mantha and into the slot before beating Coreau on the short side.
Fed from behind the net by fellow rookie Zach Hyman, Brown scored 1:11 later. Matthews scored at 12:05.
Ericsson and Larkin scored less than two minutes apart to cut the deficit to one, setting the stage for Mantha to tie it up as time expired.
Andersen was down and out on the play after slight contact with Thomas Vanek in the crease as the puck crossed the line.
The play was reviewed, but ultimately confirmed.