Matthews recorded the second most shots (6) on the team on Thursday against Anaheim.
Auston Matthews may not have found the back of the net in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, but head coach Craig Berube remains confident in his star center's ability to find his groove again as he continues to work his way back from an upper-body injury.
The 27-year-old forward, known for his scoring prowess, recorded six shots on goal, the second most on the team behind William Nylander, who had seven. Matthews' career success against the Ducks is well-documented – he averages 1.46 points per game against them, making Thursday’s scoring drought a bit of an anomaly.
As he was left off the scoresheet for the eighth time this season, he’s still been making his presence known in other key areas of the ice.
“I think he's playing good hockey. I mean, he's playing 200 feet defensively, faceoffs, killing penalties. He's doing a lot of good stuff for the team. Yes, we need him to produce and he will,” said Berube post-game.
“I mean, sometimes they don't go in all the time, but he's getting the looks, he's taking pucks that are net hard, he's playing a physical game. Like I said, it's 200 feet. He plays against top lines, the other team, penalty kills, key situations in our own end and stuff. So he's doing a lot of good stuff and I get, we need him to score. I'm not concerned about it, he will, it'll go in,” he added.
Berube dismissed any concerns about Matthews' recent inability to capitalize on quality chances, specifically breakaways and 2-on-1 opportunities, stemming back to Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime win against the New Jersey Devils.
“I'm not concerned with it. I'd be concerned more if he wasn't getting the opportunities,” Berube explained.
Matthews had several Grade-A chances against Anaheim, including a near breakaway to crack the game open with the first shot on net that was turned aside by Ducks goaltender Luke Dostal.
He also had other multiple one-on-one opportunities with Dostal. However, the Ducks netminder stood tall, frustrating Matthews on a night where luck didn’t favor one of the Leafs’ top offensive threats. Whether it was the one-on-one chances, one-timers, or even partial breaks – he had nothing to show for it on Thursday – which is unlike the star who’s had great success against the organization.
On the season, Matthews’ stats reflect a near point-per-game pace, with 19 points (9G, 10A) in 20 games. Since returning from an upper-body injury on November 30, he has notched eight points (4G, 4A) in seven games, including the all-important overtime winner against the Devils earlier in the week. While he admitted to feeling better with each game, Matthews acknowledged he’s still finding his rhythm.
“Physically, like I said the other day, I'm feeling better every game. So that's positive,” Matthews said during the Leafs’ road trip to New Jersey. “I just want to continue to take those steps and build my game.”
Instead, it was the Leafs’ second line that picked up the slack Thursday night, scoring all three Maple Leafs goals and elevating the club to its second win in a row.
While Matthews may not be putting up monster numbers on the scoresheet, he’s been relied on in other areas, as Berube points out. Besides, the personnel behind the bench has been keen on finding more secondary scoring options. Now is the opportunity, as it’s only a matter of time before Matthews regains his scoring touch.