Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews of San Ramon, California has been named the National Hockey League first star of the week for the week from February 21-27, 2022. In four games, Matthews had four goals and five assists for nine points. He was also a +4 with one game-winning goal, 20 shots on goal, one hit, three blocked shots, and 47 faceoff wins.
Matthews was the player of the week despite not registering a point in the Maple Leafs’s first game of the week, a 5-2 Toronto loss to the Montreal Canadiens on February 21. That was followed by one goal and two assists for three points in a 4-3 Maple Leafs’ overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on February 22, two goals and the game-winning goal in a 3-1 Maple Leafs win over the Minnesota Wild on February 24, and one goal and three assists for four points in a 10-7 Maple Leafs win over the Detroit Red Wings on February 26. In Toronto’s win over Detroit, the 17 goals which were scored, were the most goals scored in a game this season.
This is the fourth time in Matthews’s career he has been named the first star of the week. He was previously honoured for the week from December 26, 2016 to January 1, 2017, for the week from October 3-7, 2018, and for the week from February 15-21, 2021.
In the 2021-22 season so far, Matthews has 37 goals and 31 assists for 68 points in 50 games. He is also a +13 with 10 penalty minutes, 22 power play points, six game-winning goals, 221 shots on goal, 475 faceoff wins, 38 blocked shots, 39 hits, 59 takeaways and 35 giveaways. Matthews also leads the NHL with 37 goals and 25 even strength goals.
The Maple Leafs are currently in third place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 35 wins, 14 regulation losses, and four losses in extra time for 74 points. Toronto is also winners of three straight games after they defeated the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Monday.
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