The Toronto Maple Leafs were probably hoping to keep the Nashville Predators to fewer goals on Tuesday night, but having put up seven goals of their own, the Maple Leafs ended up surrendering four goals to the Predators in a 7-4 win.
In doing so, Auston Matthews‘ early third period goal became the eventual game-winner for the Maple Leafs, handing the Predators their first regulation loss of the 2025-26 season. The goal also marked yet another milestone for Matthews on the franchise’s all-time list, vaulting him past former legend Dave Keon for second on the team’s all-time list for game-winning goals.
For Matthews, in his 10th season with the Maple Leafs, it marked his 64th game-winning goal for the franchise, passing Keon’s 63. It also means that he’s just 15 back of the all-time franchise mark, currently held by Mats Sundin (79).
That’s not the only mark that Matthews is chasing this season. Following Tuesday’s two-goal performance against the Predators, Matthews has 404 career regular season goals. That puts him just 16 goals shy of Sundin’s franchise mark of 420, an attainable feat this season.
Matthews is also just one overtime goal back of Sundin’s franchise record of 14 and currently tied with William Nylander (13) for second on the franchise’s all-time list.
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Finally, the two-goal performance also knocked Matthews into sole possession of 107th on the NHL’s all-time goals list. He’s one of 111 players all-time to reach the 400-goal mark and the game-winner has him 88th on the NHL’s all-time list. The player he’s about to pass next? You got it, Dave Keon.
