"As the game went on, we got better and better," Matthews said. "That's the way we want to play. We were up against a pretty good hockey team, they're a team that knows how to win. When you get into these tight games, it's definitely a matter of inches so it's definitely a big win for us as far as confidence goes and we just want to keep this momentum going."
WATCH: [All Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs highlights]
Connor Brown made it 3-2 with 7:00 left, scoring his first goal of the season on a wrist shot from the high slot.
James van Riemsdyk deflected a shot by Tyler Bozak past Anton Forsberg with 4:18 left to tie it 3-3.
"I thought we had some good chances, they're definitely a good team where there always seems to be somebody around you getting a stick on it or a guy in the lane you have to shoot around," van Riesmdyk said. "They make you earn your chances and when you get them you really have to bear down."
Richard Panik put Chicago (2-0-1) ahead 3-1 at 7:52 of the third when he scored a power-play goal, putting in a rebound off the end-boards from Gustav Forsling's point shot.
"We had the lead and they're playing catching up and they're pressing and they have some skill," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They were forcing some plays and they got a lot of loose pucks, we didn't make them turn in the second period and that's where they started getting momentum. They've got some guys with speed off the rush. Their rush game is something you have to give them credit for, it was quick for us."