Auston Matthews is having a difficult season with the Toronto Maple Leafs by his standards. However, the number 34 has returned to his old ways in recent games and was an integral part of his team’s 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday at FLA Live Arena.
• Also read: CH loses in a turbulent match in Boston
The American sniper scored his 33rd and 34th of the season to help the Leafs recover from Tuesday’s disastrous game. The New York Islanders then defeated Sheldon Keefe’s team 7-2.
Matthews has eight goals and 16 points in his last 12 games, bringing his tally to 34 goals and 73 points in 2022-23.
The other offensive stars of the Leafs also had their fun at the expense of the Panthers. William Nylander and Mitch Marner each had a goal and an assist, while John Tavares had three assists.
Michael Bunting and Alexander Kerfoot provided insurance goals for their team.
Meanwhile, defender Morgan Rielly followed the game from the stands. Keefe justified this decision with the fact that he wanted to give his number 1 defender a break.
Every point counts for the Panthers in the race for the playoffs. That loss and Tuesday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers will certainly complicate their task.
Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins were their scorers in today’s duel.
The “Bolts” less electric than ever
In Ottawa, the Senators gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a hockey lesson with a 7-2 win.
Beaten in the last three duels, the “Bolts” are now unrecognizable.
At the start of the third period, Jon Cooper’s troops were still in the game. Two Brady Tkachuk hits and an Austin Watson goal in just 1 minute 28 seconds. however, nailed the coffin of the Flash.
Alex DeBrincat set the tone for the game by hitting the target twice in the first period.
Brayden Point with his 45th net of the season and Mikhail Sergachev then brought theirs back into play.
Derick Brassard and Erik Brannstrom completed the scoring for “Sens”. The latter also hit the target in spectacular fashion, covering the entire rink before thwarting Brian Elliott.
It is a tremendous adversity that the Florida team will try to recover in the next two games. She will cross swords with the only two teams who have already secured their ticket to the playoffs, the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes.