'He's The Strongest Guy On The Ice': How Matthew Knies Saved the Maple Leafs' Season with a Game 5 Overtime Winner Against Bruins
Knies now has two goals in the series as it shifts to Toronto for Game 6 on Thursday.
Matthew Knies and John Tavares come in clutch when the stakes are at their highest.
The 21-year-old, in his fifth-ever postseason game, had the primary assist on Tavares' overtime winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which won Toronto their first playoff series since 2004.
That same duo revealed their clutch gene in overtime on Tuesday night in Boston. However, this time, Tavares had the primary assist on the series-saving goal from Knies.
"I think Kniesy's been great all series. Just playing heavy hockey. We know what he can do with his size and his strength and the power that he brings, his soft hands and play-making ability," Tavares said on Tuesday night.
"His finishing ability has really started to come on here for us. So, great to see him get rewarded in a big moment."
This was not only Knies' best game as a Maple Leaf, which, came at the most critical time, with Toronto's top goal scorer, Auston Matthews out of the lineup. But it was also the biggest goal of the 21-year-old's young NHL career.
What did it feel like to score it?
"Yeah, it's gosh, you black out a little bit," he said on Tuesday night. "I was just so excited and so happy and I think what brought me more joy was to see the faces of my teammates and you know, how much that, how much they wanted to you know, keep playing and keep moving on."
Before Knies even appeared in an NHL game, the Maple Leafs organization raved about the young forward's immense strength. It was one of the reasons they drafted him.
And already, in just his second playoff run in the league, Knies has teammates telling him he's the most powerful player on the ice.
"All series long he's been a force, I feel like, to be reckoned with. And I was telling him he's the strongest guy on the ice. He's 21 years old and he's an absolute horse out there," Jake McCabe, who also scored on Tuesday night, said.
"(Knies) does a lot of great work for us on the forecheck and he's been starting to kill penalties and to see him to get rewarded there with the G-Dub, it's fitting for a guy that's been working his tail off all series."
Although Knies is considered an NHL rookie, Tuesday's game was already the 12th playoff game of his career. He has six points (three goals, three assists) through 12 games, a strong total for someone who's still planting their foot in the league.
However, after this goal, Knies has likely entered the chat for this series. It's a good sign for Toronto, who pushes the Bruins to Game 6 on Thursday inside Scotiabank Arena.
"He's just in there playing and being a big, strong guy that's working with a good stick. But he's been really building, you know, this series game by game. He's been getting better and better. I thought tonight he was terrific," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Knies after Game 5.
"It's very fitting that he gets the winner first on an incredible effort by John Tavares to drive wide and get the puck to the net front. But fitting because Kniesy's worked really hard. You know, it was terrific. You know, happy as I was waiting outside for those guys to finish up here. You know, it's not lost on you.
"You got two young guys (Knies and Joseph Woll) up here that make a real impact in the game here tonight. So that's terrific to see."
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