Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid and Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews faced off in a highly anticipated matchup, but the end result saw McDavid score the goals and pick up the win.
TORONTO - It was the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl show in Saturday night’s contest at Scotiabank Arena. As the Edmonton Oilers danced around the ice in a 6-3 victory, the Toronto Maple Leafs and captain Auston Matthews were dominated.
Just a couple of years ago, it seemed that McDavid and Matthews were neck and neck and in the spotlight in the Canadian hockey market.
However, while they still carry a spotlight, it hasn’t felt like those two centers have been on the same level lately, with Edmonton’s captain pulling away.
McDavid is inching closer to the league’s leading scorer, Nathan MacKinnon, with a three-point night against the Maple Leafs, bringing his total to 51 this season.
In contrast, Matthews didn’t record a point against Edmonton. He hasn’t controlled games like he used to during his 69-goal campaign just a couple of seasons ago, for reference.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube wasn’t pleased with the team’s performance as a whole, and called out the leaders of his team, and Matthews is certainly one of them.
“I talked to the team after the game, Berube said postgame. “Our leaders got to take control of it a lot more than they are right now.”
The three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner has 13 goals this season, which puts him tied for 34th in the NHL. In addition, he has 21 points in 26 appearances.
In the meantime, McDavid started the show early, opening the scoring with a phenomenal solo effort, tearing through the neutral zone and finishing his move on Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby.
“He’s got jump,” Oilers left winger Zach Hyman said of McDavid. “He’s fast no matter what, but when he’s really doing it, and he’s on his game, you can’t stop him.”
With Matthews’ line matching up against McDavid for most of the night, there was no answer for No. 97.
After the game, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was asked what he would do if he were coaching against McDavid and Draisaitl.
“If I did have any ideas, I wouldn’t be throwing them out there,” he joked. “I said this when I was in Erie. I try not to be surprised,” Knoblauch said of McDavid.
At this point in the season, and the same can be said for last year in Matthews’ injury-plagued campaign, Toronto’s captain cannot be compared to Edmonton’s captain. That can all change with the remainder of the season, but as of right now, that’s how the story goes.
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