Leafs captain Matthews rallies behind Reaves, offers crowd critique
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Ryan Reaves and Mathieu Olivier dropped their gloves and engaged in a heavyweight fight just 92 seconds into Wednesday's game between the Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets.
"It was great," said centre Auston Matthews. "I mean, that's still a big part of the game, and he's a big part of this team. You love to see that. Would've liked a little more energy from the crowd after that. I thought it was a little quiet, especially after two guys like that go at it."
Matthews' critique of the home fans raised eyebrows following Toronto's 5-1 loss to Columbus, which matched the team's largest margin of defeat this season.
"He's our captain and we look up to him," said winger Steven Lorentz. "We follow him into battle, and what he says we're right there with him."
The Leafs lead the NHL with 19 home wins, but there have been boos during a couple recent losses to the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars.
"Every building can be quiet at times," said Lorentz, who grew up a big fan of the Leafs in Kitchener, Ont. "Every building can be loud at times ...We weren't playing our best hockey at some points. We really rely on that energy from the crowd."
The fans inside Scotiabank Arena have a reputation for being reserved at times, especially in the lower bowl.
"We know we have probably the most extensive fan base in hockey and in probably across a lot of sports as well," said goalie Joseph Woll. "We love our fans and we feel their support not only in Scotiabank, but on the road. There's places where we'll have more fans than the other team, places like Buffalo. I think what's important is we love our fans and we love when they're loud and they're rocking and that energy is special for us."
Woll recalled how crazy the building in Toronto was after the Leafs won Game 6 in the playoff series against the Boston Bruins last spring.
"That experience of how loud the fans were will forever be in my mind," the 26-year-old said. "How much energy and how much support they bring for us is unbelievable. It's our job to continue to give them a reason to cheer and a reason to be loud and be there for us, but I have no doubt that we have the best fan base in the world."
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Matthews wasn't just criticizing the crowd on Wednesday. He was also sticking up for Reaves, who has been in and out of the lineup lately.
"It was a great moment for him," Matthews said of the 37-year-old. "I thought it gave us some energy on the bench."
Reaves had gone his first 29 games this season without a fight. During Saturday's game in Montreal, his challenge to Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj was dismissively declined.
"He's been looking for one for a while, so you've got to give kudos to the guy on the other side as well," Matthews said.
Bringing energy to the team is what Reaves was brought in to do. He's actually recorded a video pumping up the fans that runs just before the players hit the ice before home games.
Fighting is another way to create a buzz and it certainly seemed to get the Leafs bench going on Wednesday.
"I got a front-row seat to it," Lorentz said. "Pretty cool to see two gladiators going at it like that ... They were just swinging for the fences. It's nice to see some of that old-time hockey come back a little bit."
The Leafs outshot the Jackets 15-7 in the opening period.
"It was a hell of a fight, I'll tell you what," said coach Craig Berube, a frequent fighter during his playing days. "I am glad I wasn't in it. It was great to see. I thought the guys really fed off of it. I really liked our first period."
Reaves actually had a great scoring chance shortly after he got out of the box, but Elvis Merzlikins made a nice poke check.
"Reavo had a great game all night," said defenceman Jake McCabe. "The puck was finding him too in front of the net."
Reaves was not made available to the media following Wednesday's game despite a request.
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It may have been quiet at times on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena, but Matthews sure felt the love from Leafs fans during the team's annual Easter Seals Skate on Thursday. The line to get a moment with Matthews was longer than any other player.
"It is awesome to see how much the fans love him," said Woll. "I think it was at the Military [Appreciation] Night that we had a few different lines and you have Auston's line, and [William Nylander's] line, and [Morgan Rielly's] line, and [Matthew Knies] and I went over and tried to make our own line. We had no one in our line because they were all in Auston's. We're like, 'Hey, come hang out with us!' It was pretty funny."
In 2024, the Leafs Skate for Easter Seals Kids had over 400 participants, raising more than $200,000 to support kids with physical disabilities. The final numbers from this year's event have yet to be announced.
Matthews, the first overall pick in 2016 draft, grew up while playing under the microscope in Toronto, but this is his first season wearing the 'C' as the captain.
"He's a special player," said Woll, who is also a product of the 2016 draft class. "I think we've known that for a long time and I think this is his next step, right. It's a whole different animal being a special player and being a special leader and a special captain and I think he's handled it very well."
Even after Wednesday's loss, the Leafs continue to hold a three-point lead atop the Atlantic Division. After missing 15 games earlier in the year due to nagging upper-body injury, Matthews appears to be hitting his stride. He extended his goal streak to five games against the Blue Jackets and has now scored in eight of 10 games since returning from his latest stint on injured reserve.
Matthews certainly isn't shy when it comes to voicing his opinions, as was the case on Wednesday night, but he's also even keeled while riding the rollercoaster in the centre of the hockey universe.
"He's so good at it," said Lorentz. "Something that he does well is his highs aren't too high and his lows aren't too low ... It's good to see him unfazed by some of the negative stuff and then, when he does have a big night, he's not super on his high horse either. He's just down to earth. He keeps it in check."
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Knies, who stands 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, left Wednesday's game after a collision with Kirill Marchenko late in the second period. The team is calling it an upper-body injury.
"He's good," assured Lorentz. "He's in good spirits and he's a tough kid."
Lorentz broke into a big smile.
"He's built like a brick-you-know-what house and he's got that muscle and that added layer. He's just a little bit banged up, but he won't be out too much longer. I've already seen him today and he doesn't want to be sitting out very long. He's just trying to do whatever he can to get back as soon as possible."
Berube was not available to the media on Thursday so an official update on the top-line winger will have to wait until after Friday's practice.
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Dennis Hildeby allowed four goals on 18 shots on Wednesday night.
"A little disappointing, frustrating," the rookie goalie said in the immediate aftermath of the loss. "I obviously could have done a little better."
"He wants to be better," Berube said. "He has to have the first one, but whatever. He hasn't played in a long time, either. He is trying to battle."
Hildeby was beaten high by Adam Fantilli off the rush in the first period for the game's first goal.
"I was just off in my position there a little bit," the 23-year-old Swede admitted.
Hildeby had not played since a 3-0 loss to the Canucks on Jan. 11. He refused to use the layoff between starts as an excuse.
"Everybody in this league has done it," Hildeby said. "Something you got to go through. You've just got to find a way. I need to do it a little better."
"I am not going to sit here and blame the goalie," said Berube. "It is a team game."
Hildeby was supposed to spend most of the season in the American Hockey League, but has already played six games in the NHL due to injuries sustained by Woll and Anthony Stolarz, who is currently sidelined following a knee procedure.
"He is developing up here, getting practice time, and working with NHL shooters and our goalie coach," Berube stressed post-game. "Ideal situation, he is playing more games down in the minors."
And, sure enough, the Leafs sent Hildeby back to the Toronto Marlies on Thursday.
"It's his first experience, really, of being in the league," Woll said. "it's not an easy league to go through and there are a lot of ups and downs. What I can say is he's a special goalie. I see him in practice every day and he doesn't let in a shot so it's pretty awesome to see. He has the talent. He has the mental capacity for it, it's just sometimes results don't go the way you want and I've had plenty of experience of that. I have no doubt that he's going to be great for us in the future."
Woll joked that he could write a book about why it's so tricky making the jump from the AHL to the NHL.
"It's a different type of pressure," he said. "You kind of work on building your game in the American League and then you move up to the NHL and it is a different animal. Both are tough. When you're playing a lot it's tough in terms of you have to be always on and always ready and then when you're not playing a lot it's tough, because you don't really get in a rhythm."
Matt Murray, who has allowed just one goal in his last three games with the Marlies, has been recalled and will join the team for Friday's practice. The two-time Stanley Cup champion, who underwent bilateral hip surgery last season, has suited up in two games with the Leafs this year.
"It's not easy to make the NHL once, but to almost make it twice, like he's done, I think it really speaks to his drive and his motivation," said Woll. "That's something that I saw a lot of this summer. He's had a long road back and he's a special goalie and he's proved that in his past."
Murray has a .934 save percentage in 15 AHL games this season. He has an .879 save percentage in a pair of starts with the Leafs.
The reason Hildeby played on Wednesday was because the Leafs wanted to give Woll a rest. He had just suited up in four games in a seven-day stretch.
"I always want to be in the net," Woll said. "I want to be helping my team as much as I can, so you feel a little weird, especially when you get in a rhythm of playing. It's a little weird to come out and you don't feel quite right, honestly. And, at the same time, I understand it's good to manage [the workload] and it's good to keep your body and your mind healthy. Like most things in life, it's not all good, it's not all bad."
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While Hildeby struggled, Merzlikins was excellent at the other end for the Jackets.
"Couldn't buy one it seemed like," defenceman Jake McCabe noted.
Merzlikins stopped 28 of 29 shots and, during one strange sequence in the first period, grabbed Matthews' stick. The Jackets goalie had lost his stick during a net-front scramble. Matthews actually picked up the loose goalie stick and skated with it for a couple seconds.
"He took my stick out of my hand, so I just saw his stick and decided to play with his for a second," Matthews said. "So, I mean, yeah, I don't know, I gotta read the rule book, I guess."
Merzlikins was penalized for holding the stick while Matthews got called for using an illegal stick.
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Merzlikins was good, but the Leafs could've been better.
"Their goalie was really good — give him credit — but we had to score a couple of greasy goals and we didn't get that done," said Berube.
"We were too soft around our net," Matthews said, "and not hard enough around their net."
The Jackets blocked 25 shots and made it hard for the Leafs to turn their possession time into Grade A looks.
"We had periods of time where we controlled the play or at least controlled the puck in the offensive zone," said Rielly. "I don't think we got enough to the net with traffic. They won the net fronts so I think that was a big difference."
"All their goals are right in front of our net minus the empty netter," McCabe noted. "They kind of kept us to the outside. We had a lot of zone time. You might be feeling good, but not enough traffic in front, not enough second opportunities, and, yeah, it's a frustrating game."
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Toronto's power play entered the game feeling good having gone 4/7 during a three-game winning streak. But the Leafs went 0/3 against the Jackets and the second unit allowed a shorthanded goal.
"There was maybe a little bit too much movement," said Matthews. "Their penalty kill, in particular, just played a little bit tighter, and we were just a lot on the outside, not enough on the inside. Their goalie made some good saves, they blocked some shots. I thought we could have just done a better job of maybe one, two passes and then trying to deliver it. I think it was just a little bit just too much on the outside, too much passing with really making nothing happen."
"A little bit on the outside," echoed defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. "I mean, the last few we have been taking the puck to the net and going for it right away when we had the chance and felt like we were a little bit on the outside on the power play as well."
The Jackets penalty kill is ranked 26th overall.
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Leafs lines in Wednesday's game:
Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Holmberg - Nylander
Domi - Minten - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves
Rielly - McCabe
Ekman-Larsson - Tanev
Benoit - Timmins
Hildeby starts
Woll