Toronto didn't have a goal until the third period when Marner and Matthews teamed up for goals on back-to-back shifts.
The Toronto Maple Leafs couldn't get scoring going against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. Until they reunited Mitch Marner with Auston Matthews.
Toronto had 18 shots after two periods of play with no goals to show for it. Because of that, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube put Matthews and Marner together for a few shifts late in the second period before fully reuniting the pair to start the final frame.
And that's when the goal-scoring came.
31 seconds into the third, Marner set up Matthews for his seventh goal of the season.
Marner found Matthews again on their very next shift before Toronto's captain made a nice move around Gustav Nyquist before beating Juuse Saros.
"I think I pulled it in really tight and it kinda came out hot. I think [Saros] looked to maybe poke check or something, so I just tried to leave it. Fortunately, I guessed right and he guessed wrong and just fortunate it went in."
Five of Matthews' eight goals this season have come off Marner's stick at some point during the play. Marner, with assists on all three goals against Nashville (also assisting on William Nylander's goal), now has two or more points in 14 of his 25 games this season.
"They've played together a long time, right? It's just something that — you play together that much over the years, you just know where each other are," Berube said following Toronto's 3-2 win over Nashville.
"It's an important part of the game for sure. Chemistry's big."
Marner is up to 36 points (nine goals, 27 assists) in 25 games this season. After missing time with an upper-body injury, Matthews has three goals and two assists and has been on the scoresheet in every game since returning to the lineup.
"I thought tonight was his (Matthews) best game. I know he scored, but, to me, he had his legs more tonight," Berube said. "I thought he had his legs better and skated better, capitalizing on the opportunities he got, which is important. That's what he does. But, overall, it's coming. It's coming."
Matthews and Marner might be finding success together at the moment, but two months from now, all will be thrown out the window with both players representing their home countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Toronto's captain was named to Team USA in June and Marner made Team Canada's roster on Wednesday. It's a treat to watch them throw the puck around, however, it'll be just as fascinating watching them play against each other.
"Yeah, it will be a lot of fun. We haven’t talked about it much, but, like I said, I don’t think we’re going to talk about it much until it really comes down to the week or so maybe beforehand," Marner said on Wednesday.
"We’re going to focus on trying to win as many games as we can between now and then and when it gets closer I’m sure we’ll joke around about that."