No Matthews, no problem as Maple Leafs blank Oilers
The Maple Leafs knew even if they had Auston Matthews available, a solid team game would be required against a surging opponent.
Subtracting the NHL’s leading goal scorer from Toronto’s lineup due to injury further increased the degree of difficulty. Sitting in that tricky spot, Jack Campbell and his teammates rose to the occasion on Saturday.
The netminder stopped 30 shots for his third career shutout, Mitch Marner sparked the offence with a goal and an assist, and the Leafs blanked the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 in the opener of a three-game series.
Toronto scored on the power play, three times at even strength, didn’t take a penalty, and frustrated the powerhouse offensive duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in one of the club’s most complete performances of the season.
“Everything really came up Leafs here tonight,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said.
Toronto was minus Matthews, who has 18 goals in 20 games, after he aggravated a wrist injury he has been dealing with most of the schedule in Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime victory against the Calgary Flames.
Keefe didn’t spell it out to his players what was needed on this night with their best player missing, but the message was clear. “When you lose a guy like that, you’re essentially taking a goal away from your lineup,” Keefe said as Toronto improved to 22-11-2 all-time with Matthews sidelined. “If you score one less, you’ve got to make sure you give up one less.
“Whether Auston was in or out, to beat an Edmonton team that’s rolling the way that they are and playing as confidently as they are, we had to really play a sound team game shift to shift.”
William Nylander, Jason Spezza and Zach Hyman also scored for Toronto (16-4-2). John Tavares added two assists as the Leafs stretched their lead at the top of the North Division to six points over the Oilers.
Campbell played for the first time since injuring his leg on Jan. 24 and picked up his first shutout since March 25, 2019, when he was with the Los Angeles Kings. “It was awesome,” Toronto’s backup said after being mobbed by teammates in his crease. “It’s what you play for.”
Mike Smith stopped 25 shots as Edmonton (14-9-0) saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.
“We just didn’t deserve to win,” said Draisaitl, whose team will look to rebound Monday and Wednesday against the same opponent at Rogers Place. “They just outbattled us.”
Matthews hasn’t just been a goal dynamo this season. He also sits tied for fourth in league scoring with 31 points behind McDavid (40), Draisaitl (34), and now Marner (32), and has honed a relentless 200-foot game.
“Auston’s a big part of our team offensively and defensively,” Marner said. “Everyone steps up in that moment.”
Campbell was proud of the effort with the team’s top talent looking on in street clothes.
“Losing Auston is a huge blow,” he said. “But it was a great opportunity for all of us to come together and just try and take two points from a really, really good team. Auston was fired up in the room after.”