By Canadian Press

Auston Matthews strikes twice in Maple Leafs’ 4-0 win over Golden Knights

Nov 2, 2021 | 8:33 PM

TORONTO — Auston Matthews scored twice and Jack Campbell posted a 26-save shutout for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-0 win over a depleted Vegas Golden Knights lineup Tuesday.

The victory, in which Toronto defenceman TJ Brodie played his 700th career regular-season game, was the third straight for Toronto (5-4-1).

Mitch Marner also scored and assisted on both Matthews’ goals in front of 18,689 at Scotiabank Arena. William Nylander had a goal and an assist for Toronto.

Marner scored in the first period for a second straight game. Matthews notched a power-play goal early in the second period and scored again in the final minute of the period.

Campbell stopped 12 shots in the third period en route to his first shutout since blanking the Calgary Flames 2-0 on Mar. 20, 2021.

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The Maple Leafs outshot the visitors 34-26.

The Golden Knights (4-5-0) were minus several top players because of injuries including captain Mark Stone (lower body), Max Pacioretty (broken left foot), William Karlsson (broken foot), Alex Tuch (shoulder), Zach Whitecloud (lower body) and Nolan Patrick (undisclosed).

It took Vegas almost half of the first period to deliver a shot on Campbell.

Marner scored Toronto’s first goal at 11:31 of the opening period with a nifty move on Vegas forward Jake Leschyshyn in front of the Golden Knights goal to deposit a backhand past goalie Robin Lehner.

Lehner made a couple of super stops on Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly and another from close range on captain John Tavares during an early second-period power play,

But Lehner couldn’t stop Matthews at 2:59 when he converted a cross-ice pass from Nylander. Matthews struck again with 44.6 seconds left in the period as he lifted a rebound over Lehner.

Nylander scored off the rush early in the third period to complete the scoring, with Brodie notching the secondary assist.

The 31-year-old Brodie, raised on a chicken farm near Chatham-Kent in southwestern Ontario, has played in 66 consecutive regular-season games since signing with the Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent in October 2020.

The 2013 Canadian national team member was a fourth-round selection (114th overall) of the Calgary Flames in 2008.

Maple Leafs defenceman Travis Dermott missed most of the second period after blocking a shot.

An X-ray was negative for serious injury and he returned to finish the game.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2021.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press