How series against Bruins could be Auston Matthews' moment - ESPN

BOSTON — Auston Matthews has been characterized as just a regular-season star — one criticized for flaming out right when the Toronto Maple Leafs hit the playoffs.

Consider Matthews to have issued a rebuttal.

The scene: Late in Game 2 of Toronto's first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins on Monday. The Leafs were trying to avoid falling into a 2-0 series deficit, with the score tied 2-2 late in the third period. The rowdy crowd at TD Garden was taunting the visitors with electrified chants of «U-S-A… U-S-A» when Matthews — arguably the greatest American-born hockey player in the league today who happens to play for an iconic Canadian franchise — saw his opening.

Like a running back sprinting for daylight in the open field, Matthews charged into the Bruins' zone, gloved down a pass from linemate Max Domi, juked defenseman Charlie McAvoy and bamboozled goaltender Linus Ullmark with a perfectly placed top-shelf strike.

In a blink, Matthews' eventual game winner took Toronto from the emotional brink to a soft landing en route to a 3-2 victory. The Leafs left Boston with home-ice advantage in a best-of-five series against the opponent with whom they hadn't even held a lead in their previous five meetings.

Matthews was the opposite of invisible. He was impossible to ignore. Now, more than ever, is Matthews' time to shine.

«You look at his goal [Monday] — that was a nothing play,» Bruins captain Brad Marchand said. «And he got a game-winning goal off of it. Even when you think you're tight on him, you're not tight enough. But that's the thing about the best players; they find a way. And that's what he did.»

IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY for Matthews finding his way to blossom in the postseason. Prior to Monday,