For the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was the first games they’d played without star centre and franchise player Auston Matthews since he came into the NHL. Matthews has been – by far – the Leafs best player this year, with ten goals and 19 points in the team’s first 16 games. With Matthews on the ice 5v5 the Leafs have outscored the opposition 19-5 this year, so a game without him was going to be challenge, to say the least.
And how were the Leafs without their best player? Let’s just say Freddie Andersen picked a great time to have a great game.