Matthews extends multipoint streak to seven, helps Maple Leafs top Kings

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews had two assists and became the fifth player in NHL history to have multiple points in each of the first seven games of a season in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Scotiabank Arena on Monday.

Matthews joined Mario Lemieux and Kevin Stevens of the Pittsburgh Penguins (1992-93), Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders (1984-85) and Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers (1983-84) to start a season with seven consecutive multipoint games. Matthews leads the NHL with 16 points (10 goals, six assists); his six-game goal streak ended.
"I don't know what it is. I'm just trying to play hockey, have fun, get those opportunities and try to cash in on them," Matthews said. "I've been fortunate they've been going in; we've been able to gel as a line and continue to get better and obviously the most important thing is we're winning games, so we just want that to continue."
WATCH: [All Kings vs. Maple Leafs highlights]
Kasperi Kapanen scored two goals and Garret Sparks made 33 saves for the Maple Leafs (6-1-0), who have won five in a row.
Sparks, who is 2-0-0 this season, said he was not expecting to start until he found out in the morning. Frederik Andersen missed the game with a knee injury, but Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said Andersen will start on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I wasn't anticipating playing tonight when I went to bed [Sunday] night," Sparks said. "The nature of this position is having to be ready and being able to perform when you're called upon."

Ilya Kovalchuk scored and Jack Campbell made 21 saves for the Kings (2-3-1).
"They had some good chances, a couple of 2-on-1 goals and stuff like that," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "It is more frustrating because we did play a decent game, but we still didn't play good enough to win and that's the bottom line."
The loss concluded a four-game road trip for the Kings, who finished 1-3-0. They were 0-for-3 on the power play and have yet to score with the man-advantage in 21 oppportunities this season.
"Just playing hard, all three periods," Kings forward Alex Iafallo said. "That's kind of what we talked about the whole training camp and going into those games. We've got to make sure we stay on top of that and have a strong 200-foot game."

The Maple Leafs scored 46 seconds into the first period when Kapanen banked a shot off Campbell from behind the net to make it 1-0.
"I felt like he was scrambling a bit and I just decided to throw it at the net," Kapanen said. "It looks good on paper when you get at least one shot on goal, so I got lucky it went in."
Patrick Marleau made it 2-0 with his first goal of the season at 19:38 on the power play when he took a pass from Josh Leivo and slid a shot past Campbell from the top of the goal crease.
Kovalchuk scored at 3:38 of the second period when he one-timed a pass from Iafallo, who got the puck after Matthews turned it over in the slot.
Mitchell Marner put the Maple Leafs up 3-1 at 8:32 when he tapped in a pass from John Tavares at the top of the goal crease. Tavares got the puck after forward Zach Hyman carried it into the Kings zone and got around Doughty before falling in the slot.

Kapanen made it 4-1 with his second goal of the game at 7:45 of the third period when he finished a 2-on-1 with Matthews.
"What I liked about Auston tonight is he played head-to-head against (Kings center Anze) Kopitar and he was really good," Babcock said. "We're blessed to have a guy who can play with and without [the puck], has size and now with his skating the way it is, he's a real player."

They said it

"No idea, I don't know. If I had known we would fix it and I don't know what it is, so I don't have anything there." -- Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on their power play
"For sure you look at the way I played this game tonight and you look back at last season, there's a whole lot more similarities in my game tonight than there was in the preseason or my first start against Chicago (on Oct. 7). It's just nice to get back to trusting where you are in the net and knowing that nothing changes from the AHL to the NHL; you just have to play your position soundly and be sharper and better and quicker." -- Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks

Need to know

The Kings are one of three NHL teams without a power-play goal this season, along with the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's six-game point streak ended. … Goaltender Eamon McAdam was recalled from Newfoundland of the ECHL and backed up Sparks.

What's next

Kings: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Maple Leafs: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV)