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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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The Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens skated at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. 

After watching Auston Matthews break his franchise single-season goals record on television on Thursday night, Rick Vaive congratulated the 24-year-old in person on Saturday morning. Vaive was at Scotiabank Arena as part of the Esso Game Day Skate event. A group of fans heard from Vaive, Shayne Corson and team president Brendan Shanahan before watching Sheldon Keefe put the Leafs through an on-ice workout. 

Some in the crowd serenaded Matthews with a chant of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" when he stepped on the ice for the morning skate. It's expected those chants will only grow louder tonight. 

"I imagine he'll get a pretty incredible reception," said veteran forward Jason Spezza. "To be the all-time leader in a single season for a franchise like this has not been lost on the group,  and hopefully not on him too, just how special it is."

"A tremendous accomplishment so it should be celebrated," said captain John Tavares. "Knowing him, he probably wants to just go out and play and continue to do what he does."

There's been a machine-like quality to Matthews, who has scored in 13 of his last 15 games. After breaking a 40-year-old record on Thursday, the Arizona native refused to get caught up in the hype. 

"It's a big honour," he said after scoring the overtime winner in Dallas. "This feels really nice, but we're working towards something bigger than this. It's the next stepping stone, but there's a lot more work to be done."

That was music to the ears of Shanahan. 

"You don't put it in perspective. You save that for the future," Shanahan told fans on Saturday morning. "What I love the most is Auston is the first guy to say that, while he is very honoured to have that position, he knows what he's here for. He knows it's about team success."

The team will formally recognize Matthews' accomplishment during Saturday's game. Based on how the crowd reacted at the last home game when Matthews scored his 50th goal, the atmosphere should be electric. 

"I'm sure that'll bring some energy to the game," Keefe agreed. "Just over a week ago we were here celebrating 50 and now we're back four games later and he's at 56 so it's been an incredible run. He certainly deserves any and all acknowledgements that will come his way."

Matthews' 50th goal sealed an emotional win over Winnipeg on March 31. He was greeted by a huge cheer and a water shower by teammates when he returned to the dressing room. 

"A lot of guys when they get 50 they take a breath maybe for a game or two," observed defenceman Mark Giordano, "but he's turned it on even more. So, it's been impressive. He knows that there's a lot of work to be done and this is just gearing up."  

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Another milestone moment is on tap for Matthews on Saturday. A goal against the Canadiens would give him 50 over his last 50 games dating back to Nov. 24, 2021. 

"It's hard to fathom," said Tavares. "It's really remarkable to be able to do something like that, to be in the position that he's in."

The last player to pull off a 50-in-50 run was Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux during the 1995-96 season. 

"I don't want to talk about it," said Spezza with a laugh. "I don't want to jinx it. [Alex] Ovechkin, [Steven] Stamkos, there's only a rare group of guys who have scored at this rate in the last two decades, probably. It's very impressive and we feel like the best is yet to come."

Really? Matthews can be better than this? 

"When we think about 'the best is yet to come', he's leading our team to new heights," Keefe explained. "That's through the remaining games of the regular season but, most importantly, in the playoffs. That's what it's about. I think that's where Auston's focus remains through all of this. This is all exciting and it's part of the regular-season journey. You got to build momentum and, ultimately, you're building confidence so you can be at your best when it counts the most."

Matthews is setting the tone with his play and personality.

"He's a very self-aware person," said Spezza. "He realizes he carries a lot of weight in the locker room. He has a lot of conversations with guys about their game and the team. He pays attention to everything. He echoes the coaches' messages to the group. He knows that he's always being watched so his habits are extraordinary. He knows that when you're as good as he is, there's a leadership aspect to it to and he meets it head on."

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What does Cole Caufield think of the eye-popping numbers Matthews has produced? 

"Everybody's amazed but, when you respect the type of player he is, you kind of not expect him to get that, but you kind of see it coming," the Canadiens sniper said. "He shoots from everywhere. He gets a lot of looks each game. It's pretty special for a player like me to watch something like that."

When he played at the US National Development Program, Caufield broke Matthews' single-season record of 55 goals by racking up 72 in 2018-19. Does he still view Matthews, now a division rival in the NHL, as a target for what he can accomplish? 

"Playing against him a lot, you kind of just want to win," the 21-year-old said. "The goals part of it comes in time. He's a guy I look up to and, you know, maybe one day I can get close to."

After a slow start, Caufield has taken off under new coach Martin St. Louis. He arrives in Toronto having scored in three straight games and is up to 17 on the season. He acknowledged that the 20-goal mark is meaningful. 

"After the tough start that'd be a pretty good goal to reach," Caufield said. "I'm just trying to focus on game by game and try and get one a game, and that's my mindset right now."

Caufield, who made his debut with Montreal late last season, is still adjusting to life in the NHL. 

"You may only get one or two [chances] a game maybe so when you do get those opportunities you got to find a way to put it in the right spot," he said. "Without the puck, you can help create space for the guys and that's something I've learned is [you got to] help out your linemates as much as you can. If you create space for them you'll probably get it back." 

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Erik Kallgren will get the start for the Leafs on Saturday. 

"We ended up having to use Jack [Campbell] more than we had anticipated on that trip so coming back here with a quick turnaround it was an easy decision to get Erik back in here," Keefe explained. 

Campbell played in four games over six days during the recent road swing. He replaced Kallgren late in the second period on Tuesday in Florida after the 25-year-old appeared to get hurt by a high shot. Kallgren, who allowed three goals on 23 shots, returned to the bench in the third, but Keefe opted to stick with Campbell the rest of the way. 

How has the rookie responded to that tough night? 

"I think he's fine," Keefe said, "and I don't know how 'tough' the night was. He gave up a tough goal [to Radko Gudas]. He actually played quite well up until that point and then he got shaken up and everything, but he seems to have recovered well from that and has no issues."

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After being acquired from Arizona in a February trade, Carter Hutton was assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League. But now the 36-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont. has made the move to Toronto where he skated before the Leafs' main session on Saturday.  

Could Hutton be an option to dress for the Leafs down the stretch? 

"I don't know about that," said Keefe. "Really, he's just working his way back to health and if he gets to that point I think it'd be more of a Marlies situation, just to add additional depth to the organization. Obviously, we've got a number of injuries in goal this season at both levels."

Petr Mrazek, Joseph Woll, Ian Scott and Keith Petruzzelli are all currently sidelined. Campbell recently missed time with a rib injury. 

Hampered by a lower-body injury, Hutton hasn't played since October when he got into three games with the Coyotes.

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Lines at Leafs morning skate: 

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

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Holl
Liljegren

Kallgren starts 
Campbell

Power play units at Leafs morning skate: 

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

QB: Giordano 
Flanks: Brodie/Mikheyev, Spezza 
Middle: Mikheyev/Blackwell 
Net front: Bunting