Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)The Toronto Maple Leafs won their division for the third time since 1968 in a game filled with personal milestones and accomplishments.
The Maple Leafs beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 on Tuesday night to clinch the Atlantic Division for the first time and book themselves a dance in the first round with their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators.
Toronto previously won the North Division in the shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID-19. Before that, they won the Northeast Division in 1999-2000. It was their first division win since divisions were created in 1968.
During the Leafs’ complete win over the Sabres, center Auston Matthews and right winger Mitch Marner reached significant milestones.
Marner collected his 100th point in a season for the first time, while Matthews looked for goal No. 400 of his career.
Luckily for them, they did not have to split a puck in half as they accomplished these feats on separate goals. Marner scored his 27th goal of the campaign in the third period from a Matthews pass to reach the century mark.
Marner is the fourth player in Maple Leafs history to score 100 points in a season. Matthews has done it twice, and Doug Gilmour and Darryl Sittler were the others.
Not long after Marner made it a 2-0 game for the Maple Leafs, it was Matthews’ turn in the spotlight. With just under two minutes to go, Buffalo pulled Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the empty net, and the three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner capitalized.
A slightly less popular milestone in the game was Nick Robertson scoring his 15th goal of the season. That becomes a new career high, beating out last season’s 14-goal campaign.
Anthony Stolarz also recorded a new career high of four shutouts in a season. His previous best was three with the Anaheim Ducks in 2021-22. He’s now posted back-to-back shutouts and has won eight straight games for Toronto.
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