Matthews scores in third straight game, Maple Leafs defeat Jets

WINNIPEG -- Auston Matthews scored for a third straight game, adding to his NHL-leading 24 goals, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday.

Matthews also had an assist, giving him six points (three goals, three assists) during his four-game point streak.
"Tonight was big one for us against a team that's right up there with us in the standings," Matthews said. "For us, these two games [against Winnipeg] are extremely important."
The teams play again here Friday. Toronto is 3-2-0 against Winnipeg this season and leads the Jets by three points for first place in the Scotia North Division.
Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist, and Mitchell Marner had two assists for the Maple Leafs (23-10-3), who are 4-0-1 in their past five games. Jack Campbell made 26 saves and is 7-0-0 this season.
Josh Morrissey scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for the Jets (22-13-2).
"Unfortunately we had some penalties, which kind of takes the flow out of the game in a game where you're trying to get your legs under you early," Morrissey said. "We really weren't able to. I really liked our game after that. In the second period we had a lot of great chances, we were all over them. They played a pretty solid game after that, didn't give us a lot. I guess you could say they scored a few in the first and we only scored one in the game, so we lost the first period and we ended up losing the game."
Matthews gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead at 4:40 of the first period.
Hyman scored to make it 2-0 at 10:47. The goal was upheld after the Jets challenged for goalie interference.
"The start was huge, going up 2-0 early, it's a lot easier to play when you got the lead than when you're coming from behind," Maple Leafs forward Alex Kerfoot said. "So that was big. I just though that we played a bit more of a complete game and [Campbell] did a great job back there shutting the door."
Kerfoot scored shorthanded on a breakaway to make it 3-0 at 16:40 of the second period.
"A huge goal for us. A big moment in the game," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Obviously we don't like giving the one back right after that … [the Jets] get the one you kind of expected they might within the number of minutes we gave them on the power play. It's not [a big] deal because we get that shorty."

Morrissey scored on the power play at 17:15 for the 3-1 final.
Jets forward Blake Wheeler left the game in the first period and did not return.
"It was tough. He's a rock for us," Jets forward Mark Scheifele said of the Winnipeg captain. "He does so much. He's our heart and soul. So to see him not come back is tough. We played hard. We had a lot of guys step into more minutes and were grinding in there. It's always good to see when guys pick up when another guy goes down."
NOTES: Marner had his 13th multipoint game of the season. Three players have more: Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (20), Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (14) and Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (14). Marner has scored six points (one goal, five assists) on a four-game point streak. … Jets forward Kyle Connor has scored six points (one goal, five assists) on a four-game point streak. … Hyman has scored seven points (four goals, four assists) in his past seven games.