And after a difficult opening to the NHL campaign in a pressure-filled market, his Maple Leafs appear to be finding their groove. The sniper scored twice Saturday as Toronto beat Boston 2-1 to end the Bruins’ seven-game winning streak. Matthews, who led the NHL with 60 goals last season en route to winning his first Hart Trophy as league MVP, has found the back of the net just once in his first seven outings of 2022-23 but is now five in five his last competitions. “Trying to create, trying to possess the puck so much offensively and obviously keep the puck out of our own end,” he said. “It’s a challenge sometimes. “I’m just trying to roll.” Mitch Marner assisted on both goals for Toronto (6-4-2), which has won two straight after winning four straight as part of a sluggish October that turned up the heat on coach Sheldon Keefe. “Another level was found tonight,” he said. “We knew Boston was going to demand our absolute best.” The good vibes coming from the Leafs locker room were somewhat dampened after goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who finished with 13 saves in 40 minutes, left with a knee injury. Eric Kahlgren stopped seven shots in the third period. Keefe, who is already minus Matt Murray (groin/abductor) and prospect Joseph Woll (shoulder), said Samsonov would not be available for Sunday’s 5 p.m. opener at Carolina. “There’s not a lot of teams in the league that are going to have three goaltenders injured in their system and feel comfortable,” Keefe said. “But it’s the reality.” Brad Marchand, in a penalty that resulted in Samsonov’s injury, responded for Boston (10-2-0). Linus Ullmark had an NHL-leading 26 saves in shutout percentage for the first time since Oct. 18. “I don’t think we played the puck as much as we would have liked,” said Boston center David Krejci, who returned from a three-game injury absence. “I couldn’t wear them out.” Matthews broke a 1-1 tie at 14:07 of the second on a tap-in at the edge of the Ullmark crease for his sixth of the campaign after a terrific power-play layup by William Nylander. “He just went for a walk there,” Matthews said of Nylander. “Put it right on me.” Kahlgren replaced Samsonov to start the third and was saved by standing on a David Pastrnak throw. The Leafs then killed off two Boston power plays with desperate defense that continued late with Ullmark on the bench. “We came out strong,” Toronto winger Michael Bunding said. “When we play fast, good things come.” After Wednesday’s win over Philadelphia snapped their ugly skid, the Leafs opened the scoring at 7:19 of the first when Matthews tricked Ullmark after the Bruins goaltender lost track of the puck behind his net on a nice layup. football kicking game by Bunting. . Toronto captain John Tavares, who had a hat trick on Wednesday, hit a shot off the crossbar early in the second before taking a penalty kick that led to Boston’s equalizer. With the Leafs down a man against the NHL’s highest-scoring team, TJ Brodie tripped Marchand on a breakaway to set up the winger’s slick deck that left Samsonov completely fooled — and then injured — to tie things up. Marchand’s fourth goal in four games after sitting out the season opener was the 800th point of his career. He also tied Mario Lemieux for second all-time with his sixth penalty kill, one behind Pavel Bure’s record. Denis Malgin then hit the post for Toronto’s second of the period before Matthews put the home team ahead for good. “Especially when we’re trying to get out of a hole or try to play a little bit better, those are the plays we need,” Matthews said. “Really positive for us tonight.” BRUINS RESPOND TO MILLER A day after Boston signed controversial defenseman Mitchell Miller, who waived his 2020 rights from Arizona for bullying a black classmate with developmental disabilities when the player was 14, Bruins leaders were asked about the move. Patrice Bergeron said general manager Don Sweeney brought up the possibility of adding Miller last week. The Boston captain made his concerns known. “The culture we’ve built here is antithetical to that kind of behavior,” Bergeron said. “In this locker room, we’re all about inclusion, diversity, respect.” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters in Finland ahead of Saturday’s game between Colorado and Columbus that Miller is not currently eligible to play in the league — and may never be. Boston forward Nick Foligno called the signing “hard to swallow.” “Hard thing to hear,” he said. “I don’t think either man was very happy.” AUBE-KUBEL APPLIES The Leafs lost Nicolas Aube-Kubel to waivers from Washington. The winger signed after winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado, but never found his footing in Toronto. “Hard to put a finger on it,” Keefe said when asked why the fit wasn’t right. “It has a lot of really good assets.” NEXT Leafs: Visit Carolina on Sunday. Bruins: Host St. Louis on Monday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 5, 2022.
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