Auston Matthews’ ridiculous Leafs game-winner ruins Lukas Dostal’s historic night

Auston Matthews scored his 30th goal in just 35 games.

Despite a Lukas Dostal masterclass that saw the Anaheim Ducks goaltender make 55 saves against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night, Auston Matthews would not be denied.

The sniper — and current Rocket Richard Trophy frontrunner — scored 2:12 into overtime as the Leafs rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Ducks in California.

It was Matthews’ 30th goal in just 35 games. Now in the midst of his eighth season with at least 30 goals, he is tied for fifth most among US-born players, according to The Associated Press.

“He’s due every night with the amount of looks he gets and obviously just how elite of a player he is and how is able to find space and opportunities for himself,” captain John Tavares gushed, per AP. “He knows where to be on the ice, to get pucks off the pass and get the looks he gets and how he can generate stuff out of nothing. He can score from anywhere.”

“He’s found another level here in the last month or so,” Leafs bench boss Sheldon Keefe echoed. “I don’t know how many he could have had. He finishes with 13 shots and 20 attempts, so he was bound to get one and it was obviously a big one for us.”

Despite Dostal making a career-high 55 saves, he allowed the tying goal with 5:43 remaining in regulation, which was Tavares’ 12th of the campaign. Auston Matthews did the rest for the Leafs in the extra frame.

Still, it was a phenomenal performance by the rookie.

“When he’s out and he’s attacking, he’s an aggressive goalie and he’s hard to beat,” said Ducks coach Greg Cronin. “He’s not one of those 6-foot-5 guys that are across rosters. He’s a smaller guy, but he’s really quick.”

With the loss, the Ducks fall to 1-5 on their current eight-game homestand, and 13-23-1 overall. The Leafs improved to 19-10-7 as they continue chasing the Boston Bruins for the top spot in the division. Frank Vatrano scored Anaheim’s lone goal in its third consecutive loss.

The Ducks will look for a better result with the Winnipeg Jets in town on Friday, while the California road trip continues for the Leafs in San Jose on Saturday night.