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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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Even as a kid Auston Matthews admired the goal-scoring prowess of Alex Ovechkin. 

"I went yellow laces for a little bit," the 24-year-old revealed with a smile. "The yellow laces have been a pretty big staple of his, so I remember doing that for a couple years."

Matthews and Ovechkin will go head-to-head for the 12th time in their NHL careers on Thursday. The Capitals winger has outscored the Leafs centre 8-5 in the previous encounters. 

"It seems like it's just automatic for him, to be honest," Matthews marvelled. "Every season he's up there. He knows how to score, and his shot is probably the best in the game. He's able to sit on that spot and you know it's coming, and you still can't stop it. What he's been able to do year after year is impressive and a testament to him and his ability."

Ovechkin, 36, has scored in four straight games and is now just four goals away from the ninth 50-goal season in his career, which would tie Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most ever. Ovechkin would also be the first player to reach the 50-goal mark at age of 36 or older.

"What he's been able to do this year is pretty spectacular," Matthews said. "He's been doing it his whole career, so it's fun to watch. It's fun to go up against a guy like him."

Matthews reached 50 goals for the first time on March 31 and is now just two goals away from 60. Only Ovechkin (65 in 2007-08) and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos (60 in 2011-12) have reached that milestone in the salary-cap era (since 2005-06).

"Ovechkin's as dangerous a shooter – maybe, off the pass, that the game's ever seen," observed Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. "Auston doesn't score as frequently on that type of shot, but scores in different ways. So, there's differences in their game for sure, but the results seem to be quite similar."

"They're both bigger guys that really enjoy scoring goals and trying to get to areas to create an advantage," noted Capitals defenceman John Carlson. "They're versatile. They can score off the rush. They go to the front of the net and bang home rebounds, tips, that sort of thing. They can beat guys one-on-one, and both have just incredible shots."

The biggest similarity? 

"They both shoot it in the net a lot," Keefe quipped. "I mean, there's that. They're obviously both passionate about scoring goals. Love to score, clearly."

Matthews gave up the yellow laces long ago, but the one element of Ovechkin's game that he has looked to mimic as a professional is the emotional investment. 

"He's so passionate," Matthews said. "Something that always jumped out to me from him is his fire and passion for scoring goals, for winning, and just competing out there."

Capitals coach Peter Laviolette thinks that's why Ovechkin has been able to produce at such a high rate consistently. 

"Loves the game," Laviolette said. "Wants to be on the ice. Wants to make a difference. Wants to create and generate and it shows in how he plays the game, and you can see it in his emotion when he scores. He loves to do what he does."

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While Matthews has upped his physical game in recent years, he doesn't throw the big hit like Ovechkin. 

"I remember telling the D in Carolina, 'If you don't hit him, he's definitely going to hit you,'" recalled Laviolette, who won a Stanley Cup behind the Hurricanes bench in 2006. "He still has that element to his game ... Sometimes you don't know it's coming with him. He takes strides and he's so powerful with his strides that if he finishes the forecheck he can be pretty physical ... He is a really strong human being. He's a bull."

Ovechkin loves making his presence felt on the ice and sure seems to enjoy playing in the centre of the hockey universe. Ovechkin has hit the scoresheet in 21 of 25 career games in Toronto (24 goals, 11 assists) with an active eight-game point streak at Scotiabank Arena. 

"Big-time moments are for big-time players and Alex seems to do well in those situations," said Laviolette. 

In his most recent road game against the Leafs on Oct. 29, 2019, Ovechkin scored two goals, including the overtime winner, on 10 shots.

Among active players, Ovechkin ranks first in goals (41) and points (74) against the Leafs. Ovechkin's 0.80 goals per game rate against the Leafs is the highest rate he has against any Eastern Conference team. 

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Jake Muzzin will return to the Leafs lineup on Thursday playing alongside T.J. Brodie. Justin Holl will be a healthy scratch. 

"The way we look at it is we have the four left-handed shots [Morgan Rielly, Brodie, Mark Giordano and Muzzin] that we think are real staples for us on the back end," Keefe said. "That leaves two available spots."

Ilya Lyubushkin will play alongside Rielly on Thursday while Timothy Liljegren slots in beside Giordano.

Holl has averaged 20:21 of ice time per game this season, which is fourth among Toronto's blueliners. He is second on the team in shorthanded ice time (2:32 per game). 

"He's played on a penalty kill that has been vastly improved this season," said Keefe. "He brings great value to us there. Yet, you look at what Lyubushkin's brought and his physicality and the way that he kills plays and how great he is defensively and Liljegren, the steps he's taken and really rounding out his game, so it's a good problem to have as a coach." 

Liljegren, 22, scored on Tuesday and, despite his rookie status, seems to have built up some trust with the coaching staff. 

"Timmy was awesome," Rielly raved on Tuesday night. "He played really, really well. When he's confident and moving the puck and skating he's extremely good and it's not hard to see the potential and upside. He's trying to carve out a role for himself and he's doing a great job."

Liljegren has produced 17 points in his past 33 games dating back to mid-January, which ranks behind only Rielly among Leaf defencemen. 

"He's got that in him," winger Alex Kerfoot said. "You guys have seen it with the Marlies and going back to his days in Sweden ... he's gotten more comfortable and he's starting to play more, so that's coming out of him and he's really playing his game now. You can see how good he is on the offensive side of the puck. He makes plays. Skates well. Reads the play well. When he's feeling it, he's going to be a really good player."

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There's also a competition going on for fourth-line spots. Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds will draw in on Thursday replacing Nick Abruzzese and Jason Spezza. 

"Clifford's done really well with the speed and physicality he brings," said Keefe. "Simmer, really, since he's started to come in and out of the lineup, he's starting to solidify what it is we want to see from him. The identity on that line, certainly on the wings, is energy, physicality, presence and taking advantage of the minutes they get. That's what I'm looking for, really, from that line no matter who's in at this point."

Colin Blackwell will be the centre on the fourth line. Despite the winger rotation, Blackwell has done a good job settling in since being acquired from Seattle alongside Giordano at the trade deadline. 

"I don't know if he's played with the same linemates two games in a row here yet, so that's obviously on me," said Keefe. "I've used him on wing and now he's evolved into being centre there for us, which isn't necessarily why we acquired him, but he has played centre a lot through his life and is comfortable there. His versatility is something we talked about when we got him, and he's shown that for us." 

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After dressing as the backup goalie in the past two games, Jack Campbell will start on Thursday. He wasn't feeling 100 per cent after playing in four games over six days during the recent road trip. 

"He hadn't played in a while and then he played a lot, more than we expected, on that road trip," Keefe said. "With goalies you're managing them every day, because it's such a taxing position to play on the body ... Goalies go through a pretty strict regimen in terms of maintaining themselves and we'll have to continue that with Jack, but he's ready to go tonight." 

Ilya Samsonov starts for the Capitals. 

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Evgeny Kuznetsov (illness) and Dmitry Orlov (lower body) missed Washington's skate. Laviolette wasn't sure if they'd be able to play.

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Leafs lines at Thursday's skate:

F

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Mikheyev - Tavares - Kerfoot
Nylander - Kampf - Engvall
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds
Abruzzese, Spezza

D

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Brodie - Muzzin
Giordano - Liljegren
Holl

G

Campbell starts 
Kallgren

Leafs power play units at Thursday's skate:  

PP1

QB: Rielly 
Flanks: Matthews, Marner 
Middle & Net front: Tavares, Nylander rotate

PP2

QB: Giordano 
Flanks: Liljegren/Engvall, Mikheyev 
Middle: Blackwell 
Net front: Bunting