Did Auston Matthews Call Out PK Subban After Overtime Winner?

Auston Matthews is no stranger to clutch moments, and last night was no exception. After scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against the New Jersey Devils, Matthews seemed to point directly at former NHL defenseman PK Subban, who was capturing the moment on video. Was it a playful jab, or something more? Let’s dive in.

A Gritty Win for the Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t exactly start strong, managing only six shots in the first two periods while the New Jersey Devils peaked the net with 27 shots. It was a shaky start for Toronto, and it looked like they might be headed home with another loss. But, as they say, it’s not over until it’s over.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz stood tall, stopping 38 of 39 shots in a stellar performance. The momentum shifted, thanks to Pontus Holmberg, who scored a shorthanded goal in the third period to tie the game. But the night was far from over.

Matthews’ Overtime Heroics

Enter Auston Matthews. After firing four shots earlier in the game, Matthews finally found his opportunity in overtime. He skillfully outmaneuvered Brett Pesce, and rifled a shot past Jacob Markstrom high over the shoulder, for his ninth goal of the season.

“It was tough to kind of settle back in. So just kind of trying to get up and over him,” Matthews said post-game, referencing the goalie. “I mean, he’s a big guy, takes up a lot of the net. So I just kind of guessed that he would go down and try to get it up.”

Following the goal, Matthews slid along the boards in celebration before pointing towards someone behind the glass. And that someone, as it turns out, was likely PK Subban, who had been filming Matthews’s game-winning moment.

The Subban Connection

“Hit the launch button,” Subban wrote in his X (formerly Twitter) post, along with the video of the goal. “Captain Clutch.”
The team’s post-game photo further adds to the speculation, seemingly capturing Matthews pointing at the former NHL defenseman in celebration. It’s definitely piqued the curiosity of many fans!

Matthews’ Hot Streak

Tuesday’s overtime winner was Matthews’s eighth point (four goals, four assists) in the last six games since returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for almost a month. It’s safe to say that Matthews is finding his groove again!

This also marked the 13th overtime goal of the center’s career, putting him just one shy of Mats Sundin‘s franchise record for most overtime goals in Maple Leafs history. He is closing in on that record fast!

Matthews on the Win

“Yeah, it feels really good. I couldn’t seem to find my spots there a couple of times. But, yeah, I just tried to stick with it. And, I mean, like I said, the game was pretty ugly on our part for the majority of the game,” Matthews commented about the overtime win. “So to pull this one out, it’s good to kind of get back into a column and, you know, we just want to try to continue that momentum and play better the next game.”

So, did Auston Matthews intentionally call out PK Subban? While we can’t say for certain, the evidence does seem to suggest it. Whether it was a playful jab or something more, it added an extra layer of intrigue to the game. One thing’s for sure, Auston Matthews continues to cement himself as one of the league’s premier clutch performers!