Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews is receiving some flak on social media following a matchup with the San Jose Sharks on December 11. The Canadian club suffered an overtime defeat at home the night. The actual result, however, was perhaps not the biggest headline to come from the game.
Nearly three minutes into the extra period, Matthews had the puck poked away as he skated towards the Sharks’ goal. The visitors then quickly collected it and raced towards the other side of the ice. The situation led to a big 2-on-1 chance for the Sharks. While they could not initially capitalize on the opportunity, San Jose forward Alexander Wennberg eventually tapped in the rebound after a save by Dennis Hildeby.
Following the game, World Hockey Report posted a clip of the game-winning goal to social media. In the video, Matthews is seen skating slowly, seemingly exhausted, back to help out in defense. Not only does the star’s lack of speed help create the 2-on-1 chance for the Sharks, but he is also late in getting to the puck on the rebound.
The post, which has over 100,000 views at the moment, is captioned with “tough effort from Auston Matthews.” Dozens of hockey fans then replied to the upload by criticizing the superstar. Matthews, widely viewed as one of the best players in the NHL, was named captain of the Leafs ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Auston Matthews Regularly Leads Toronto Maple Leafs Forwards in TOI
GettyAuston Matthews consistently puts up big numbers despite dealing with injuries.
While the video clip certainly does not look great for Matthews, some fans have come to the defense of the American star. As multiple people pointed out, the incident occurred at the end of a lengthy shift for Matthews. The center also spent more time on the ice throughout the game than any of his forward teammates.
Because the matchup went to overtime, Mathews picked up a TOI of 22:10 against the Sharks. This was his third-highest total since returning from injury on November 26. All three of these particular games went to overtime.
Matthews previously missed five games in November with a lower-body injury. This came after the superstar also dealt with other issues during the 2024-25 campaign. Those specific injuries, which were upper-body concerns, forced him to remain on the sidelines for several matchups. Due to persistent injuries, Matthews has only played 75 regular-season games just once in the last eight seasons.
Matthews has Four Goals in his Last Six Games
Despite the criticism on social media, Matthews scored a goal during the second period of the aforementioned game. The goal, which came on the power play, gave the Leafs a 2-0 lead on the night. In spite of the big advantage, the visiting Sharks fought back to level the game and then win it in overtime. Matthews now has seven points in eight games since returning from injury.
Following the defeat, Matthews was asked by reporters what the difference was between the two teams. “It could have gone either way,” responded the superstar. “I thought we played a pretty solid game. It’s always a battle those last couple of minutes, especially five on six, and they were able to find a way through to tie it.”
The latest defeat keeps the Leafs fifth in the Atlantic Division standings. Matthews and his teammates will next get a chance to bounce back against the Edmonton Oilers on December 13.
Maple Leafs Superstar Takes Heat for Effort in OT Loss