TORONTO — Auston Matthews shone with a pair of power-play goals and a crucial assist, propelling the Toronto Maple Leafs to a decisive 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
William Nylander complimented Matthews’ efforts by adding a goal along with two assists, helping Toronto snap a five-game losing streak out of their last six matchups.
The Leafs also saw contributions from Max Domi, who bagged a goal and an assist, as well as Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann, who each added to the scoring tally. Goaltender Joseph Woll contributed to the win by stopping 24 shots, while Mitch Marner and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each recorded two assists.
For Calgary, Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl were the scorers, even as the team fiercely contends for the second wild-card position in the Western Conference. Dustin Wolf faced challenges in goal, conceding five goals on 26 shots and was subsequently replaced by Dan Vladar, who made two saves in relief.
Matthews effectively sealed the outcome during the latter stages of the second period with a blistering shot, extending the Leafs’ lead to 3-1. He later secured his 26th goal of the season, marking his third goal in two games.
Toronto donned their vintage green and white St. Pats jerseys in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, recalling the franchise’s historical identity from 1919 to 1927.
Takeaways:
Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, despite a challenging night, remains a strong contender in the conversation for the Calder Trophy due to an impressive rookie stint, entering the game with a solid record and several shutouts.
Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner hit a milestone, setting up Nylander’s goal to achieve 60 assists in a season for the fourth time, overtaking Borje Salming for this notable franchise record.
Key moment:
An early potential turning point for Calgary came when forward Morgan Frost appeared to score on a power play post-Toronto’s 2-1 lead in the second period. However, Toronto’s coach Craig Berube successfully challenged the goal for offside.
Key stat:
Calgary struggles in scoring, sitting at the bottom in the NHL for goals with only 167 for the 2024-25 season.
Up next, the Flames are set to face the New York Rangers on Tuesday, while the Maple Leafs will welcome the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
