Auston Matthews offers self-assessment of recent form: 'It's fine, it's been a grind lately'

""I mean, it's fine. It's been a grind lately," Matthews said. "You know, for us, it's trying to string together points and wins. And I think we've done a pretty decent job of that over the last seven, eight, nine, 10 games. You just want to continue to put yourself in a position to win games, and the team win games.""

""I mean, we can all be better," Matthews said. "Obviously, the last two games, it's frustrating. You go into the game against San Jose, got the lead, and the third period wasn't very good. And then obviously on Saturday, I think we're in a position where the game's right there. It's 3-2. Bad break on the third goal, but I think the third period, we came out and we were really flat, and didn't have enough energy. I think rightfully so it's going to fall on the leaders and that's fine.""

Connor McDavid outplayed Auston Matthews while the Maple Leafs again collapsed in the third period. Head coach Craig Berube publicly criticized the team's leadership group after the loss. Matthews returned to the lineup on November 26 following a two-week injury absence and has recorded four goals and seven points in nine games since returning. Matthews described recent games as a grind and called recent third-period play flat and frustrating. Toronto controls 45 percent of shot attempts and 48 percent of expected goals at 5-on-5 when Matthews is on the ice, while his plus-10 goal differential stands out amid a disappointing start.

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