“Pretty special just to do it at home” – Auston Matthews nets 50th goal of season for Maple Leafs
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Auston Matthews
Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews scored his 50th goal of the season for his side against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. The California native is now also the first player in the National Hockey League (NHL) to score 50 this season.
Apart from this, he’s the fourth in Maple Leafs history to do so. Talking about his amazing feat, the Maple Leafs alternate captain said “it means a lot” to him and this feels even better as it came at home at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
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“It means a lot,” Matthews said, as quoted by NHL.com. “It was pretty special just to do it at home as well. The energy and the atmosphere tonight was pretty special. Like I’ve said before, I’m really fortunate to play with some pretty amazing players and some pretty good teams throughout these six years.”
“Nice to enjoy this one but we are ready for trip ahead”
Matthews, 24, smashed the puck into an empty net with 2:06 remaining in the third period, giving the Maple Leafs a 6-3 lead in a 7-3 win. Reacting to the crowd’s reception of his achievement, the American ice hockey player said:
“I think it’s just really special to be able to do it here in front of all the fans. Like I’ve said, it’s the energy, the atmosphere and all that that kind of just goes into it just makes it that much more fun. These are obviously some important games for us coming up. So it’ll be nice to enjoy this one but we turn the page and get ready for this road trip.”
“Fans enjoyed it,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It made for a great atmosphere in that third period. They’re pushing Auston and I thought it was great to see the fans have that moment.”
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