Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens — Matthew Knies reflects on Auston Matthews' goal chase to 70

Leafs forward Matthew Knies reflects on Auston Matthews' goal chase to 70

Modified Apr 09, 2024 20:20 GMT

Auston Matthews is on the brink of making hockey history. The Toronto Maple Leafs' top forward scored his NHL-leading 65th goal of the season in an epic 3-2 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.

As Matthews keeps chasing that elusive 70-goal mark, Matthew Knies is blown away by the performance he's putting in.

"You know, 60 was crazy. … 65 it's … you look at it in awe," Knies said (h/t CBS News). "It's pretty incredible what he can do. ... Cross my fingers. I want to see 70."

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Auston Matthews' latest goal came during a crucial moment in the game, with the Maple Leafs deadlocked in a 1-1 tie against the Penguins. Seizing the opportunity on the power play, Matthews rifled a blistering slapshot from the point past Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, giving Toronto their first lead of the contest.

In matching Alex Ovechkin's 65-goal mark, Matthews has positioned himself to potentially shatter records that have stood for over a decade. Ovechkin achieved the feat in 81 games during the 2007-08 season, while Matthews has done so in just 76 games, with six remaining in the regular season.

With 65 goals and 37 assists on the season, Matthews finds himself on the cusp of surpassing his personal best of 106 points, set during the 2021-22 campaign.

As the regular season draws close, anticipation mounts for what Matthews will accomplish next.

Also read: NHL fans weigh in on Paul Bissonnette's question over Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid's achievements

Jake McCabe credits Auston Matthews for winning pass

Jake McCabe, the hero of the night, credited Matthews for the winning pass, stating,

"I was waiting to see what Mitch and Bert were gonna do. Auston found me on the backside."

Matthew Knies also contributed to Toronto's success with a goal. Coach Sheldon Keefe praised Matthews' approach, stating,

"He’s trusting that his ability is going to shine through — he’s going to be able to score."

Despite Pittsburgh's efforts, including goals from Rickard Rakell and Drew O'Connor, they couldn't secure the win. Sidney Crosby acknowledged the importance of the hard-fought point, saying,

"We’ll look at this as hopefully an important point here down the road."

Toronto's defense, highlighted by successful penalty kills, proved pivotal.

Also read: Sidney Crosby collides with Auston Matthews, goes knees-first into net after Jake McCabe's backcheck minutes before