Matthews hits 40 goals for 3rd straight season as Maple Leafs hold off Blue Jackets | CBC Sports

“I think just the start that we had was really positive, [then] letting them back in the game, but I thought just our bench and our team as a whole just stayed poised and confident,” Matthews said. “And we just kept playing and scored a couple big goals to give ourselves a lead.”

Watch | Matthews hits 40 goals again:

Auston Matthews makes Leafs’ history with his 4th 40-goal season

Auston Matthews tied Darryl Sittler for the most 40-goal seasons in Toronto Maple Leafs’ history. 1:28

Elvis Merzlikins, starting his third game in four days for Columbus, made 28 saves, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a third straight loss for the Blue Jackets, who dropped a back-to-back over the weekend.

Sean Kuraly, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jack Roslovic and Patrik Laine scored for Columbus. Gus Nyquist and Max Domi each had two assists.

Toronto brought sustained early pressure in the Columbus end and took advantage of turnovers.

Mikheyev beat Merzlikins 8:06 into the game before Marner scored off a rebound from Bunting’s long shot with 5:59 left in the first. Matthews got his league-leading 40th goal about three minutes later with a wraparound shot to the far post.

“Our whole team was really good in the first, which makes Auston’s line and Auston himself that much more dangerous,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Because shift over shift, we’re just carrying momentum and really wearing down the opponent.”

The Blue Jackets closed it to 3-1 early in the second when a long shot by Domi bounced in off Kuraly. Bjorkstrand cut the lead to one with his 20th goal late in the second during a 4-on-4.

But the Leafs got back to work, with Kerfoot banging in a goal off the far post and Bunting shoveling one in over Merzlikin’s skate in traffic with 8:39 left in the game.

Laine made it a one-goal game again with 48 seconds left, but the Blue Jackets, with an empty net, just ran out of time.

WATCH | Mrazek closes out the game:

Mrazek makes some huge stops in the dying seconds to give Toronto a 5-4 victory

The Leafs were tested in the final minute, but Peter Mrazek shut the door on the Blue Jackets’ comeback attempt. 1:09

“I know where we’re at here. We need the two points, but it was a step for us tonight against a really good team to stay in it and work ourselves back into the game,” Columbus coach Brad Larsen said.