NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn — $65,408,000 Toronto Maple Leafs star lauds Auston Matthews' assist in crucial goal against Panthers - Source: Imagn

$65,408,000 Toronto Maple Leafs star lauds Auston Matthews' assist in crucial goal against Panthers

Modified Apr 03, 2025 06:33 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner praised captain Auston Matthews for his assist in the crucial 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.

Marner scored a goal, thanks to a slick assist from Matthews, who chased down his own rebound and delivered a precise pass to Marner at the right face-off dot for a one-timer, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead in the third period.

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Marner highlighted Auston Matthews' skill, explaining that he just tried to find an open spot, and, fortunately, Matthews spotted him, allowing him to quickly get the shot off.

"Yeah, it was great. I mean, obviously, what he does with his body, he can put himself in great spots to get second opportunities. For me, I just tried to find a quiet area, and lucky enough, he was able to find me. I was able to get it on and off," Marner said.

The win made the Toronto Maple Leafs the first team from the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division to book their berth in playoffs. The club leads the Tampa Bay Lightning by three points for first place. The Leafs are ahead of the third-placed Florida Panthers by four points.

Meanwhile, Mitch Marner, who's in the final year of a six-year $65.4 million contract, took his season tally to 24 goals and 93 points in 74 games this season.

HC Craig Berube shares thoughts on the Toronto Maple Leafs clinching playoffs berth

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube shared his thoughts after the team qualified for playoffs. He acknowledged the challenge of making the playoffs, noting how tough the league is.

"It is great. I have talked before about it. Being able to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs is a real thrill and opportunity for me. As I have said a number of times, I love working with the players we have here, the staff, and the organization in general," Berube said post-game.

This is Craig Berube's first tenure with the Maple Leafs. He helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019. Leafs fans are buzzing with anticipation under Berube's leadership, hoping for a deep playoff run this time.

After back-to-back first-round setbacks, the Leafs made it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round in 2023.

Also Read: John Tavares makes feelings known after Toronto Maple Leafs clinch playoff spot

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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