Auston Matthews continues to make history

Mantha potted another 2 goals and assist in Sunday’s Centennial Classic outdoor game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthews has only played in 36 games, so you have to believe that the record is his for the taking. The game-time temperature at noon is expected to be around 34 degrees.

Matthews and the rest of the Leafs rookies were a force on the day.

The Arizona Coyotes have lost seven in a row – including five straight at home – since a 3-2 shootout win at Toronto on December 15. The 19-year-old has 10 goals and 29 points in 37 games.

The Maple Leafs organization is in the same boat – after more than a decade of mismanagement, they have finally begun to turn things around, and the leader of their long-awaited rebound and youth movement is Matthews.

Said Rielly of the team’s franchise center piece: “I don’t think there’s anybody in this room that’s surprised by it. Just really fun to experience this whole thing”. Kuznetsov, who got off to a slow start this year, also had four points with a goal and three helpers.

Coming from a non-traditional hockey market, Matthews has quickly become a role model for other warm-weather cities to produce their own version.

“Family is such a big part”, Matthews told Sportsnet of his development of as a hockey player and as a person.

He added that the various contractors on the project nearly in unison stopped what they were doing when the ice-making started.

“I think each and every guy will be honoured and thrilled”. It’s an exciting time to be a fan, as the team is young and full of talent that people have been yearning to see for years.

A Mitch Marner goal at 11:08 put the Leafs back in front 5-4, but John Carlson again brought the Caps to equal footing less than three minutes later when the disorganized Leafs couldn’t locate the puck. He’s improved defensively in the three months he’s been in the National Hockey League and it’s helped his offense. The only way to learn how to play on that kind of stage is to do so. “It’s something the coaching staff has worked with me a lot on. But we feel comfortable and we feel confident”. “Mike was more mature physically than I was, and Auston is more mature than Mike”.

The game was highlighted by a wild second period in which Kesler scored the third of his three goals.

Babcock said in the beginning of the season he managed Matthews’ situations, making sure he wasn’t in matchups that would discourage him. On top of that, he’s got a good brain, he works hard, and he’s been playing with good teammates. “You sit in between the different players, the different generations, and if anything rubs off, hey, perfect”. “He’s got to get way better in the faceoff circle and he will get even better in that area”. “He’s just going to get better”.

“It’s very unacceptable to continue to go down that road”, Matthews said. He knows it won’t be a controlled environment that he is accustomed to playing in. “I thought overall he did a real good job”.

The stats show the Red Wings are going nowhere with the season getting late early.