Matthews misses on 'Michigan' but gains momentum in latest Leafs win 

Auston Matthews attempted to score a lacrosse-style goal early in the third period of Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"I just didn't see any other option," the Leafs centre explained. "Like, the puck was rolling. It was the beginning of the period so the tape was fresh. I almost had it. I kind of quit attempting those a couple years ago, but that was a reasonable attempt and had a pretty good opportunity there, and almost went in."

The 'Michigan' move by Matthews had fans and teammates buzzing inside Scotiabank Arena.

"I wish it would have went in," said winger Bobby McMann. "I mean, he pulled it off perfectly."

"I was yelling at the TV," said winger Ryan Reaves, who was a healthy scratch. "It's too bad that goalie read it pretty well."

Jonas Johansson made a save, but the play itself seemed to be another sign that Matthews is back to his puck-on-a-string form.

"It's been feeling better each night," Matthews said. "Just getting back in a rhythm. Playing every night, I think that helps settle back into the season when you've had time off."

Matthews played 21 minutes and 56 seconds on Monday, which was his highest total since Dec. 7.

"He is playing at a pretty high level right now," said coach Craig Berube.

The reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner burst down the wing on a 2-on-1 rush in the first period and blasted a shot past Johansson. Matthews beat the Lightning back-up via the five-hole for his eighth goal in nine games since returning from a six-game absence. Matthews also missed nine games earlier in the season to rest and treat a nagging upper-body injury.

"He came back the first time and maybe wasn't fully ready," Reaves noted. "And then he came back after the second stint and looks right back to his form. He's playing just like he was all season last year."

Last year Matthews scored an astounding 69 goals in 81 games.

"A huge boost for our team having that sort of offence," McMann said. "I think the other team, a lot of times, is worrying about him, and sometimes that opens up space for other guys too. So, it's been super helpful. And he's scoring goals at the most opportune times and most important times so it's been nice."

Per NaturalStatTrick.com, shot attempts favoured the Leafs 15-10 when Toronto's top line – Matthews between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies – was on the ice against the Lightning. That trio made a beautiful passing play in the final minute of the second period, which was finished off by Knies and gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead heading to the intermission.

"The way our line's been playing, just hounding pucks, trying to attack offensively and being good in our own zone as well has been good," Matthews said. "You just want to keep that momentum going."

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Asked about Matthews, Berube ended his answer by talking about Knies, who also added a power-play goal against the Lightning.

"Kniesy, for me, has been driving," Berube said. "He is really playing that power-forward type of game to a tee, in my opinion. It really helps the line."

Minutes earlier, Knies was asked about Berube's north-south system.

"He wants us to play a simple and fast game and that's kind of what my game is to a tee," Knies noted.

The results are coming for the University of Minnesota product. Knies is now up to 18 goals and 13 assists in 46 games. The sophomore star also caught the eye of Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

"It takes good players to be able to be able to play with elite players and for a young kid he's been able to do that," Cooper told reporters. "He's kind of got all the tools, the size, the strength, the hockey sense, so he's a good complement for them."

Knies produced 15 goals and 20 goals in 80 games during his rookie campaign.

At 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, Knies is learning exactly how to maximize his strength on the ice. He's proving to be a quick study.

"The first time I was here it's obviously an adjustment to bigger and stronger players," the 22-year-old said. "Getting that experience and getting to play against these guys and getting to practice against some of our players, it's helped me a lot. It's getting much better."

"He's an absolute horse in the corners," raved Reaves. "He's very strong on the puck. For a big guy like that he has really good hands, especially around the net. He's got a great shot, quick release. He's kind of the full package."

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William Nylander has scored on a breakaway in three straight games.

"Breakaway man," a beaming Berube said. "He reads the play really well. He slashes out well on those plays."

Morgan Rielly won a battle and knocked the puck into the neutral zone on Monday night, which is where Nylander skated onto it and did the rest.

"He just seems to be in the right place at the right time right now," Rielly said. "We play within structure, at least we try to, and then there's plays like that where he goes off script a little bit and he's able to read the play."

"He's really good at cheating for offence," Matthews said. "I mean that in the best way possible. He just reads the play and he's obviously very fast, and IQ and the way he reads the play and is able to get behind you, I mean, nobody does it better than him."

The stats back that up. Per Sportlogiq, Nylander leads the NHL with 13 goals off the rush this season. Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl and Carolina Hurricanes winger Jack Roslovic are tied for second with eight.

"It's just instinct in the moment, I guess," Nylander said.

It's also a product of hard work. The 28-year-old Swede is always doing something to keep his skills sharp. At the end of Tuesday's practice, Nylander flipped pucks high into the air through the neutral zone before accelerating and skating onto the puck and breaking in on the net.

When he gets in all alone, Nylander is usually lethal.

"He seems so controlled and consistent when he does it," McMann said. "The one last night he almost holds it for an extra half second just to wait out the goalie almost and he puts it just in the right spot. I think the goalie almost misread it. He makes it look easy."

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McMann also had a breakaway on Monday, but could not convert.

"I just saw Auston go five-hole previously," he said. "Maybe it was in my mind. I saw an opening. I missed the shot a little bit and he got the pad down on that one."

The 28-year-old from Wainwright, Alta. is sticking with black tape despite scoring with white tape on Saturday in Montreal. McMann's stick broke during a shift and he grabbed Knies' at the bench before getting a 2-on-1 look and burying. The two wingers use the same stick, but Knies' is a bit shorter and, of course, has white tape.

"I thought about it just a little bit," McMann said of a potential tape change. "I actually thought about it a lot when I was younger, and then I tried it for a couple practices, some of my worst practices with white tape. So I'm really hesitant to make the switch. I don't think I need to any time soon. I still like the black."

Why?

"My dad always said it hides the puck, so that was the thought, that the goalies can't really see what you're doing with it," McMann said. "But now I'm just so used to it and it's hard to change. It's almost like the peripheral vision [is impacted]. When I see it down there I can kind of see where the blade is on the ice."

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Rielly quietly made a switch from white to black tape recently. 

"Just changing it up," he said. "It's not that different."

Rielly used black tape early in his NHL career, but has preferred white tape for most of his 12-year run in Toronto. You can understand, though, why Rielly is looking to change things up now. He's produced just 22 points in 48 games this season. That puts him on pace for 38, which would be a 20-point decline from last year.

Rielly, who recently lost his spot on the top power-play unit as the team went to a five-forward look, insists the lack of production isn't weighing on him.

"Just trying to play within structure," he said. "I mean, there's more important things. As a team we're in a good place. And, as a team, I think we're growing and we're learning and we're improving, and that's always going to be the most important thing. And as long as that's happening, I think our group is going to be happy. We're always going to be pushing for more and pushing to improve, and I'm no different. So whatever it is that's going to help the team, you know, we're all going to be willing to do that."

Berube asked Rielly to reduce the risk in his game this season as the team focused on tightening up defensively. He's not the only player adjusting to the change. The Leafs entered Tuesday's games tied for seventh in 5-on-5 goals. They led the NHL in that category last season. Lately the offence is starting to come around.

"I think that takes time," said Rielly, who is a team-worst minus-14. "I think that's obviously starting to happen. Whenever you change your structure a little bit or change your general kind of game plan or team identity to a degree, there's going to be a bit of a learning curve."

Berube is urging his defencemen to get more involved in the attack, which he thinks will help spark Rielly. The Leafs are hoping a new partnership with the reliable Jake McCabe, who is second on the team at plus-16, will also help. 

"They were solid," Berube said of the performance on Monday. "They had a good game. It allowed Morgan to do his thing a little bit more, jumping up into the play. Caber will sit back and let him do his thing. He was up in the rush on a few plays and had some opportunities. They just have to keep building their relationship as a pairing."

"We played well," said Rielly. "We're going to look to build on it."

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After starting four games in seven days, Joseph Woll stayed off the ice on Tuesday.

"He is a very hard worker," said Berube. "He works extremely hard in practice and tries on every play in practice. That is where we have to pull back a little bit at times. He had a maintenance day today. If he is out there, he is going to compete on every puck. He is at the level now where he has played a lot for us. He needed a day."

The load management led to some good-natured ribbing.

"I've never seen young goalies get days off like this when the team's out there grinding," Reaves said with a grin. "That's the new NHL I guess. More rest days for Woller, I guess ... Like [Philadelphia 76er] Joel Embiid. I'm going to call him 'Joe Embiid.'"

Woll is likely going to get more practices off moving forward. With Anthony Stolarz sidelined with a knee injury and no back-to-back sets until after the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the Leafs seem intent on riding Woll.

"Just throughout my life I've always had a mindset of hard work," Woll said. "It's learning how to manage the load and things like that and when's the right time to reel it back and when's the right time to push it. We've got a great staff and I trust them."

The team didn't hold a practice on Friday or Sunday so Woll is getting plenty of time to recover.

"It's a good blend of doing stuff in the gym and treatment," the 26-year-old said. "I think that's stuff you learn over your career, what your body needs, especially in a tight stretch with a lot of games, so just trying to do what I know."

Woll made his 24th start of the season on Monday, which marked a new career high. It was his 25th appearance, which matched last season's career high.

These latest games have been intense and full of emotion.

"It's special getting a win against a team like that," Woll said after stopping 27 of 30 Lightning strikes. "A great team, they've been playing good hockey. When you play teams like that, especially when you've had history in the playoffs against them, I think it does feel like that playoff environment, especially if it's a tight game."

Woll was under siege early in Saturday's game in Montreal where he allowed three first-period goals, but also bought his slow-starting teammates time to mount a comeback in what ended up being a 7-3 win.

"He's been stellar," McMann said. "The last few games, I've been watching from the bench feeling like it was a goal for the other team and all the sudden he comes flying across the crease and saves it with his shoulder, elbow, whatever it is ... It's really impressive."

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Stolarz skated again on his own on Tuesday.

"He is on the ice moving around," said Berube. "Next week, he might get more active in the net and start moving and going up and down. We have to take it day-to-day. It is all about how he feels and where he is at with his movement. He is on track, so he is doing well."

Stolarz last played on Dec. 12.

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With the Leafs trailing 3-0 on Saturday, Reaves challenged Arber Xhekaj to a fight. The 23-year-old Canadiens defenceman gestured at the scoreboard and dismissively waved off the 37-year-old.

"You want to point at the scoreboard and then get rattled off for seven then it's a tough look," Reaves said.

Was the Leafs comeback karma?

"I guess so, yeah," Reaves said. "I think when you're a younger guy and you do that to somebody who's been in the league for that long, you know, maybe that guy's not going to give you one when you need one."

Reaves dropped the gloves with Donovan Sebrango in the pre-season, but does not have a fight so far through 29 starts in the regular season.

"We played Philly back-to-back, [Nicolas] Deslauriers is hurt," Reaves pointed out. "Both games that I played against New Jersey, [Kurtis] MacDermid wasn't in and then we play them and he's in, but I'm out. There's just not a lot of takers out there ... Last game I thought for sure it was going to happen and I guess not."

Does Reaves need to do anything to stay sharp?

"A lot of it is muscle memory," he said. "I still think about my style and what I need to do in those fights, but it also depends on who I'm going against. I've been doing it long enough that hopefully it just stays with me."

Reaves will be back in the lineup on Monday as an upper-body injury to Connor Dewar opened up a spot on the fourth line.

Dewar, who took a big hit from Luke Glendening in the first period on Monday, is listed as day-to-day.

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There's still no timeline for centre John Tavares, who sustained a lower-body injury last week in practice.

"He hasn't been on the ice yet," Berube said. "Hopefully it will happen soon. We'll get him on the ice, get him going, and see how he feels."

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Lines at Tuesday's practice:

Knies - Matthews - Marner

McMann - Holmberg - Nylander 

Domi - Minten - Robertson

Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves

Rielly - McCabe

Ekman-Larsson - Tanev

Benoit - Timmins

Hakanpää, Myers

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