Maple Leafs Auston Matthews scores 44th

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Playing in arguably one of their biggest games of the season,  Cam Sims Jersey the Toronto Maple Leafs needed their stars to shine Thursday  and their biggest star did just that.Rocket Richard Trophy candidate Auston Matthews knocked in his 44th goal of the seasonin a hotly contested,back-and-forth battle with the Panthers in Florida. Joe Burrow Jersey  The marker knotted the game 3-3 in the first period and cappeda two-goal comeback by the Leafs with just over a minute left in the opening frame. Toronto would go on to win the contest 5-3 and maintain a hold on the Atlantic Division's Jalen Brunson Jersey  third spot.TRADE DEADLINE: Matthews started the play with a dump-and-chase, tracked down the puck behind the goal line and threw a hit onMacKenzie Weegar that kept him out of the play. He then got the puck to Mitchell Marner, who set up Zach  Justin Lindner Jersey Hyman  and had allfour Panthers down low focusing on him. Hyman'sattempted move Georgetown Hoyas Jersey  around netminderSergei Bobrovsky sent the puck right to an open Matthews for the goal.The goal is huge considering the Leafs are playing with just11 forwards.Coach Sheldon Keefe opted to dre s seven defenseman witha young and inexperienced blue-line group. in the team's last game and Cody Ceci on  Shaun Nixon Jersey the sideline.He now has recorded 22 points (13 goals, nine a sists) in 21 games against Atlantic Division teams this season and on Thursday night against Florida, he led the team in shots (six), shot attempts (11), faceoff wins (10) and takeaways (two).Despite not scoring in Toronto Nico Ragaini Jersey 's last three gamesand only having LeGarrette Blount Jersey  one goal in his last five, Matthewsis now just two behind the Bruins' David Pastrnak and one ahead of the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin for the Richard Trophy. He is on pace for 56 goals this season.