Matthews returned to the ice after a six-game absence due to an upper-body injury during the Leafs 6-4 over the Bruins, and was again on the lineup as Toronto defeated Philadelphia in the first of a home-and-away series.
Matthews holds a six-game point streak, tracing back to mid-December prior to his injury. Since returning, Auston registers five points in two games, not having lost a beat in his game. However, during a chippy, contested bout against the Flyers tempers flared, and a teammate of Matthews was heavily fined for an illegal play.
Toronto forward Max Domi was assessed a $5,000 fine for elbowing Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway. The sum is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. However, albeit the hefty sanction, Domi was only called for a minor-penalty during the game.
Toronto would kill off the ensuing penalty late in the third period, and go on to win in sudden-death overtime thanks to Morgan Rielly’s goal, assisted by Auston Matthews and John Tavares.
