Matthews’ 5th hat trick helps Maple Leafs to OT victory against Flyers

TORONTO – Auston Matthews had his fifth hat trick of the season, and William Nylander scored 54 seconds into overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.

Nylander took a pass from Timothy Liljegren and shot between goaltender Samuel Ersson’s pads from the slot.

“I thought their guy [Scott Laughton] that wanted to change kind of chased me pretty far up,” Nylander said. “I was able to get kind of an odd-man rush there. It was a nice play by Liljegren.”

Mitchell Marner had three assists, Nylander had a goal and an assist and Ilya Samsonov made 29 saves for the Maple Leafs (28-16-8), who are 6-2-0 in their past eight games and have won two in a row without defenseman Morgan Rielly, who served the second of a five-game suspension.

“I think it’s just building that positive momentum going forward and having these last two weeks being for the most part here at home, and then [having] a solid homestand and making sure we are taking care of business here on home ice before we get going on the [four-game] road trip,” Matthews said. “These are really important games for us and definitely not to be taken lightly.”

Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist, Travis Sanheim and Garnet Hathaway scored, and Ersson made 24 saves for the Flyers (29-19-7), who had a four-game winning streak end.

“The majority of the game, [we shut Toronto down offensively],” Sanheim said. “There was a 10-minute spell where we kind of fell apart a bit, and good players capitalize when they get their looks, and [Matthews] did tonight. “Good team effort to battle back. I’m proud of us getting that point, and we will move on.”

Philadelphia played their final game before they face the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SN1).

Matthews scored three straight goals in 7:49 in the second period.

He tied it 1-1 at 11:06 with a wrist shot past the glove from the top of the left circle and made it 2-1 at 14:20 when he one-timed a pass from Marner at the right face-off dot on the power play.

“I thought Auston was really the catalyst for us [in the second period], not just because he shot the puck in the net, but just the way he competed, won loose pucks, I thought he was a beast for us in that second period,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He really just got us going and set the example of what was required.”

Matthews completed his first career natural hat trick to make it 3-1 at 18:55 when he shot glove side through a screen from the high slot after Liljegren kept the puck in at the blue line.

“I just tried to keep the puck in and kind of want Matthews to touch the puck to get the whistle, but he told me to touch the puck, and then I saw him open in the middle and made the pass,” Liljegren said. “I’m kind of used to [Matthews getting hat tricks] by now, I guess. It’s just something he does. He goes on a roll and it’s not even that good of scoring chances. He’s a goal scorer, so it’s fun to see.”

Hathaway cut the lead to 3-2 at 14:14 of the third period, jamming in a rebound after a point shot by Nick Seeler.

Konecny tied it 3-3 1:01 later on the power play when he took a chip pass from Owen Tippett during a net front scramble and shot past a sprawling Samsonov.

The Flyers took a 1-0 lead at 7:42 of the first period when Sanheim took a pass in the slot from Laughton and slid a shot past the outstretched right pad of Samsonov for a short-handed goal. It was Philadelphia’s League-leading 13th of the season and third in their past four games.

“They’ve done it all year long, it’s the steadiness of a room,” Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said of his team coming back in games. “They just keep on playing. Would have liked to play a little bit more in overtime, but it doesn’t surprise me how they handle themselves.”

NOTES: Matthews (five) tied Darryl Sittler (1980-81), Babe Dye (1924-25) and Reg Noble (1917-18) for the most hat tricks in a single season in Maple Leafs history. He is one of just three players in the past 30 years to record at least five hat tricks in a season, joining Jonathan Cheechoo (five in 2005-06) and Mario Lemieux (six in 1995-96). Matthews recorded his 72nd career multigoal game and passed Sittler for the most in franchise history. … Philadelphia defenseman Cam York left the game in the third period after taking a hit from Simon Benoit in the corner. He did not return and there was no update after the game. … Flyers forward Sean Couturier was named the 20th captain in franchise history on Wednesday.