The Leafs ended 2022 in the W column with a good bounce-back win over the Colorado Avalanche. Thankfully, the return of Nathan MacKinnon, and an excited crowd who was waiting for him to electrify the ice, or the threat of a Denis Malgin revenge goal didn’t keep the team down. They played the entire game with a lead and were able to take advantage of a poor goaltending performance at the other end of the ice.
First star
Auston Matthews
It’s never a good feeling when being in the right position bites you, but Matthews had to deal with that feeling when Devon Toews’ shot went off his skate and in. Fortunately, he made up for it with a goal of his own, one that was all about patience. Instead of firing the puck immediately, Matthews waited, forcing Georgiev to get lower and move further away from the net for the finish and his 18th.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨
REDEMPTION pic.twitter.com/hdOcmxlPfo
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 1,…
