Auston Matthews scores again as Maple Leafs beat up on Florida Panthers

That was a statement win by the Maple Leafs.

Never mind the non-playoff positions of the Leafs and the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference standings — the Leafs handled the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena.

In a game stacked with emotion, the Leafs beat the Panthers 4-1 in the first game between the teams in Toronto since Florida eliminated the Leafs in seven games in the second round of the playoffs last spring.

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, following a pre-game ceremony with Mats Sundin to honour Matthews’ breaking of Sundin’s franchise goals record, scored his sixth goal in three games.

Not only have the Leafs won six home games in a row, they’re 5-0-2 in their past seven and have moved to within two points of the second wildcard in the East.

After he was stopped by Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on a breakaway in the first period, Matthews scored his 21st goal of the season and 422nd of his career thanks to Matthew Knies. The latter fought off the check of veteran Florida defenceman Niko Mikkola, turned and put the puck on Matthews’ tape. It was 3-0 Leafs before Bobrovsky could react.

The Leafs scored in the final minute of the first period and in the first minute of the second to take a 2-0 lead.

Easton Cowan’s fifth NHL goal, at 19:36 of the first, came off great feed from Nick Robertson, who had taken a cross-ice pass from Nicolas Roy. The line has been together for four games.

“When we put that line together, we’re kind of all looking at it and we’re wondering, what is it?” Leafs coach Craig Berube said in the morning. “It has worked out well. Roy is strong on the puck down low, he gets a lot of pucks stalled and Nicky and Cowan are quick. They’re doing a good job of moving in the offensive zone.”

At 42 seconds of the second, Knies used a textbook tip on a point shot by Troy Stecher to fool Bobrovsky.

Carter Verhaeghe scored Florida’s goal at 11:38 of the third. Brad Marchand didn’t return after he was hurt toward the end of the second.

Bobby McMann scored an empty-net goal for the Leafs.

The Leafs’ Max Domi and the Panthers’ Aaron Ekblad, who have a history of dislike for each other, fought in the first period.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun