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Auston Matthews makes his thoughts on Igor Shesterkin extremely clear
Auston Matthews showed his respect for Igor Shesterkin after the Maple Leafs' 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. Matthews scored Toronto’s only goal, spinning off Adam Fox and shooting past Shesterkin. He had nine shots on goal but couldn’t beat Shesterkin again. Shesterkin stayed calm and handled the pressure well.
Toronto had 72 shot attempts, but Shesterkin allowed only Matthews' goal. Matthews nearly scored again, but Shesterkin made a toe save. Matthews, who has scored seven goals on 47 shots against Shesterkin in 10 games, praised the Rangers goalie.
"Very composed," Matthews said. "He's not the biggest guy, but he's very athletic & seems to come up with big saves when his team needs it. Obviously a lot of respect for him."
The Leafs went 0-for-3 on the power play and are 2-for-16 on the season. Auston Matthews noted their inconsistency, acknowledging that they had good chances but couldn't finish them.
"We had some good looks, but then there's just a little bit of inconsistency there. So, obviously, we'd like to be better. It needs to be better, especially when you're going up against teams like tonight."
In the second period, Max Domi passed up a scoring chance during a 3-on-1 play. Chris Kreider then scored on a delayed penalty, making it 2-0 for New York.
Alexis Lafreniere has recorded a point in all five of the Rangers’ games. He ties Tomas Sandström and Mike McEwen for the second-longest season-opening streak by a young Rangers player as New York marks one of its best starts on the road in over 90 years.
Auston Matthews praises Bobby McMann's strong start with Toronto Maple Leafs
On Thursday, Auston Matthews talked about Bobby McMann’s strong start with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
McMann returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the first game. He quickly made his mark against the New Jersey Devils, scoring in the first period. Although he didn’t score in the home opener, he netted two goals in the 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
McMann is now a part of the 'BMW' line with Max Domi and William Nylander. The line has been very productive, as they were formed before the home opener, combining for six points against the Kings.
Auston Matthews praised McMann for his hard work and ability to take advantage of his chances, mentioning that McMann looks "hungry" on the ice.
"He just looks hungry out there & he's making plays, making good on his opportunities He works extremely hard," Matthews said.
The Maple Leafs next play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.
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