Auston Matthews scores first career playoff goal for Maple Leafs (Video)

Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored his first NHL playoff goal in Game 3, in what the Maple Leafs hope to be the beginning of a long career of postseason success.

The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs always come with weird statistics to add to the craziness that playoff hockey usually brings. A fun statistic came Monday night, when Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored his first career playoff goal in Game 3 for the Maple Leafs.

The rookie tallied his first goal in the postseason, and can also say he has one more goal in the playoffs than the Blackhawks have in their first two games of their series with the Predators. The goal came by an impressive effort from Matthews, who gathered his own rebound after a shot on Braden Holtby and found the back of the net to bring Toronto within one of Washington.

The fans watching the game from outside the Air Canada Centre seemed to enjoy the goal, for multiple reasons. The first being the cutting in half of Washington’s two-goal lead in Game 3, and the second being the hopeful beginnings of a star being born in his first NHL postseason.

Even though many thought the Maple Leafs wouldn’t be able to do a lot this postseason against a tough Capitals lineup, they’ve impressed hockey fans on all ends, specifically with Matthews.

While the Maple Leafs’ performance so far in the playoffs may surprise people, Matthews’s success shouldn’t shock anyone at all. In the regular season, the 19-year-old tallied 40 goals, becoming the first rookie to score 40+ goals in a season since Alexander Ovechkin did it in his rookie year back in 2005-06.

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Toronto may not make it out of the first round against the top-seeded Capitals, but the Maple Leafs are hoping to get as much exposure for their rebuilding roster and young rookie star in this opening series.