Captain Auston Matthews showcased a stellar performance by registering his 14th career hat trick, which included the game-winning goal, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a thrilling 6-5 comeback victory over the struggling Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.

The game saw a dramatic shift in momentum as the Jets held a commanding 4-1 lead after the second period. However, the Maple Leafs surged back in the final frame. Matthews capitalized on a loose puck after Jets netminder Eric Comrie failed to secure it, scoring with just 4:22 remaining to secure his hat trick and the decisive goal for the Maple Leafs. This victory marked Toronto’s fifth win in their last six games, uplifting their season record to 19-15-6.

The Jets, on the other hand, faced disappointment as they squandered their lead and registered their eighth consecutive loss, dropping their record to 15-20-6. Mark Scheifele stood out for Winnipeg, scoring two goals and providing an assist, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Maple Leafs' late-game rally.

In a crucial moment, Scheifele extended the Jets' lead to 5-4 with a power-play goal, yet the Maple Leafs responded with a powerful slap shot from Troy Stecher, followed by Matthews’ third goal of the night, clinching the lead for Toronto. With this goal, Matthews also drew closer to tying Mats Sundin’s franchise record of 420 career goals, now just one goal shy of this milestone.

Despite the loss, the Jets outshot the Maple Leafs 39 to 30, showcasing their offensive efforts throughout the contest. Toronto's success in this game came under the watchful eye of backup goaltender Dennis Hildeby, who stepped in for Joseph Woll early in the second period after Woll allowed four goals on 18 shots.

The Maple Leafs were without key players, including William Nylander, who missed his third consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. Other absentees included Dakota Joshua, sidelined with a kidney issue, and Chris Tanev, who is also dealing with a lower-body injury.

Takeaways

Auston Matthews' remarkable feat of scoring two goals in this game allowed him to set a franchise record for the most goals scored at home, now totaling 232, surpassing the previous record held by Darryl Sittler for the past 44 years. Matthews has proven his scoring prowess recently, racking up three goals and six points in his last three appearances.

In contrast, the Jets' struggles continued, as they have only managed to secure three wins since November 18, struggling with a 3-13-4 record over their last 20 games.

Key moment

An essential turning point in the match occurred when Matthews scored on the power play with just two seconds remaining in the second period, pulling the Maple Leafs within one goal at 4-3 and setting the stage for their comeback in the final period.

Key stat

A striking statistic from this matchup reflects the dramatic changes both teams have faced over the past year. When the Jets defeated the Maple Leafs in Toronto 374 days ago, Winnipeg was sitting at the top of the league, while Toronto led the Atlantic Division. Fast forward to Thursday's game, the two teams entered with the Jets at the bottom of the standings, while Toronto was only marginally better, ranked 22nd overall.

Up next

The Winnipeg Jets will look to break their losing streak as they visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, while the Toronto Maple Leafs will head to New York to take on the Islanders on the same day.