- Auston Matthews remained confident despite Toronto’s 4-1 preseason loss to Montreal, emphasizing the team’s ability to build on positive moments and iron out early-season rust
- The Leafs captain logged over 22 minutes of ice time, winning 63% of faceoffs and recording six shots, displaying flashes of the form that led to his 69-goal campaign
- Matthews acknowledged feeling rusty early in the first period but noted improved performance as the game progressed, with conditioning expected to sharpen further through camp
- The captain praised rookie Gavin McKenna’s showing and expressed enthusiasm about having Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes, calling the veteran goalie an ‘absolute treat’ to play behind
- With only two practices and one preseason game under their belts, Matthews emphasized the team has plenty of room to improve while building momentum heading into the regular season
Read the full story here: https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-auston-matthews-confident-shaken-off-rust-preseason-opener
