Auston Matthews hits 60 goals, Maple Leafs clinch second in Atlantic

TORONTO — Auston Matthews looked a little sheepish after scoring his 50th goal into an empty net last month. How the Maple Leafs sniper bagged No. 60 was a lot more like it.

Matthews scored twice, the second on one of his patented snapshots, to become just the third player in the NHL’s salary-cap era to register 60 goals in a season as the Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 3-0 on Tuesday night and clinched second place in the Atlantic Division.

After being thwarted by Red Wings netminder Alex Nedeljkovic on a couple of good looks in the first period, Matthews scored his 59th from in tight with just over four minutes left in the second.

In the third, he scored his 60th on a power play. He kept a puck in at the offensive blue line and moved into the slot before ripping a puck past Nedeljkovic’s glove to send the crowd at Scotiabank Arena into a frenzy.

“It was pretty special,” Matthews said. “Just the reception from my teammates, the crowd, I mean, everything. It just kind of sends chills down your bones.”

Fans broke into deafening chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!”

“Just the way (Matthews) goes about it, the way he does it, the consistency, some of the things he’s done … you continue to shake your head,” said captain John Tavares, who had the other Toronto goal.

Matthews, who had gone five games without scoring, joined Steven Stamkos in 2011-12 and Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08 as the only players to reach 60 goals since the mid 1990s.

Matthews has also had a stretch of 51 goals in 50 games.

“It’s unique, it’s rare,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “I’m just really happy for him. He works extremely hard.”

Jack Campbell made 20 saves to register his fifth shutout of the season for Toronto, which also set a franchise record with its 30th home victory of the season.

“We’re working towards something bigger,” Matthews said. “Definitely a moment for us to enjoy and be happy about. But the job’s not done, the work’s not finished.”

Nedeljkovic stopped 33 shots for Detroit, including those big early saves on Matthews.

“ ‘Ned’ played great,” Wings forward Sam Gagner said. “If you’re scoring 60, you’re finding ways to get it done no matter who you’re matched up against. (Matthews is) a really special player.”

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