Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Chirps Matthew Knies Over Theatrics on Controversial Goal

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off an important 3-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken to cap off a 3-game winning streak on the road.

It was Anthony Stolarz's first game back from injury, and a big night for Matthew Knies, who scored a controversial goal that many believed was a pretty clear high-sticking infraction.

Knies tried to downplay the potential high-sticking call by not being the first to line up in the celebration line, instead sending Jake McCabe as the first in line for fist bumps on the bench. This tactic amused Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who publicly addressed the play on Friday after practice.

As per LeafsLatest on X:

Theatrics or not, Knies' goal counted on the score sheet, and helped propel the Maple Leafs to a victory.

Knies is in the midst of a breakout season for the Maple Leafs. He has already surpassed his point total from last season (35) with 21 goals and 36 points this season, impressively accomplishing this in 30 fewer games.

Despite the victory, head coach Craig Berube shared his thoughts with the media, noting that his star players -- most notably the John Tavares, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner line -- didn't play their best and that there's still room for improvement.

The Maple Leafs will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they face the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night to conclude their 4-game Western Conference road trip.