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Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews named NHL’s first star of the week

Apr 11, 2022 | 10:57 AM

NEW YORK — Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews has been named the NHL’s first star of the week after scoring seven goals and four assists in four games.

The 24-year-old sniper enjoyed a record-breaking week as he helped the Leafs (47-19-6) clinch a sixth consecutive playoff berth via a 3-0-1 week.

Matthews started things off with a hat trick in Toronto’s 6-2 win over Tampa Bay on April 4 and then added three assists the next night in a 7-6 overtime loss to Florida.

Playing in his 400th NHL game, Matthews scored twice — including his ninth career overtime winner — in a 4-3 triumph over the Dallas Stars on April 7 to break Rick Vaive’s franchise record for goals in a season (54) as well as surpass Jimmy Carson and Kevin Stevens for the most goals by a U.S.-born player in a single campaign (55).