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Matthew Tkachuk Shares Surprising Comments About Auston Matthews Ahead of Game 7 Matchup
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton - Imagn Images
Ahead of their Game 7 matchup tonight, Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk shared some surprising comments about Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk are set to lead their teams into a gruelling Game 7 later tonight at the Scotiabank Arena with the winner booking their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals and a date with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The present and future of hockey in the United States, the two stars have gone toe-to-toe all season long and it now comes down to the final game of the series. Before their matchup, Tkachuk made some surprising yet admirable comments about Matthews' leadership qualities, shining a light on their relationship off the ice.
"I think he's been playing really well this whole series. He's a force at both ends. And I got to see his leadership at the 4 Nations and how he leads by example. I wouldn't say he's the most vocal in the room, but when he says something, everyone's listening. He's a big presence in the room, that's one thing I learned a lot."
Tkachuk later added that while his numbers might not show how dominant he's been, the Panthers have needed all hands on deck to keep him quiet and shut him down on a game-by-game basis.
"He's obviously one of the best players in the world, and I think he's been great this series. It's tough to shut down a player like that, so it's going to take all five guys, all four lines, all six D. We're playing on the road, so it's going to take everybody tonight. He's one of the best in the world, so we have our work cut out for us."
Matthews had been kept quiet for most of the series but came through in the clutch in Game 6 when he opened the scoring with the eventual game-winning tally midway through the third period.
The same can be said about the Leafs as they've kept Tkachuk relatively quiet with the feisty forward notching only 4 assists this series. A massive key to success in Game 7 will be keeping him off the scoreboard and making sure his goal-less drought reaches 9 games en route to a playoff exit.
Based on Tkachuk's recent comments, it sounds like they won't be easing up on the captain or the Leafs top-line. It will be a true battle of attrition with everything on the line tonight.
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MAI 18 | 2609 ANSWERS Matthew Tkachuk Shares Surprising Comments About Auston Matthews Ahead of Game 7 Matchup Will Auston Matthews score in Game 7? | ||
| Yes | 288 | 11 % |
| No | 2321 | 89 % |
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