Matthews hat trick leads Maple Leafs past Kraken
Posted March 8, 2022 10:40 pm.
Last Updated March 8, 2022 10:49 pm.
It’s Auston Matthews’ world — we’re all just living in it.
The Hart Trophy candidate recorded a hat trick on Tuesday to single-handedly push the Toronto Maple Leafs to a wild, 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken.
Matthews has a league-leading 43 goals this season and is now five ahead of Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and New York’s Chris Kreider. The 24-year-old is expected to surpass his career-high of 47 goals set in 2019-20.
It's a Matty Hatty kinda night ???????? pic.twitter.com/9SJ9qbZrnk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 9, 2022
Matthews’ linemates also stayed hot as Michael Bunting finished with a pair of assists while Mitch Marner added a goal and assist of his own. Marner now has 17 points in his past eight games.
“He’s the best player in hockey,” Bunting said of Matthews after the game. “It’s just an honour to play with the guy.”
William Nylander and captain John Tavares also scored for Toronto, who is now two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning lost 7-4 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
Colin Blackwell had a goal and assist for the Kraken, with Jaden Schwartz and Alex Wennberg also finding the back of the net.
The downside is the Maple Leafs once again coughed up a lead and, at point, trailed the Kraken 4-3 in the third period. Goalie Jack Campbell has given up four goals or more in his past five starts.
The Maple Leafs will host the last-place Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
