Matthew Knies is making waves, and his performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning was nothing short of electrifying. With a hat trick that day, he edged tantalizingly close to that 30-goal milestone for the season—all with just four games left on the schedule. This outing put a stamp on his promise to elevate the game after a tough 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers the night before.
When you're calling out your team for being "soft in some areas," you've got to back those words with action, and Knies certainly delivered. Throughout his career, he has consistently shown up against the Lightning, and this game was no exception. Maple Leafs fans saw a player who didn't just talk the talk; he skated right into legend territory with his play.
In the early stages of the first period, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews found themselves expertly connecting—a shot from Matthews rebounding perfectly off Andrei Vasilevskiy right into Knies' wheelhouse. Without missing a beat, Knies fired it home, putting the Maple Leafs ahead 2-0.
Fast forward nearly a period later, and there he was again. Marner tested Vasilevskiy with another puck on net.
Knies, always on the move, managed to extend himself just enough to tap in the rebound for Toronto's third goal. It marked Knies' 28th on the season—a classic piece of work from the 6-foot-3, 227-pound forward.
"He does what he does. Around the net, scoring goals," said Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube after the match. "His work ethic and the strength he plays with were all on display tonight."
Confidence is king, particularly as we near playoff time, and Knies is exuding it by the bucketload. The game against Tampa was a showcase of that, topped off spectacularly in overtime.
Partnered with Morgan Rielly on a two-on-one break, Knies attempted something bold—a between-the-legs pass. Although parried initially, Matthews seized the moment, weaving past defenders to find Knies for not just the hat trick but the overtime winner.
"Wouldn't exactly be the play I'd call for, but hey, guys try things," Berube recounted with a grin when asked about the flashy pass to Rielly.
"I had just hopped onto the ice, struggling to wrap my head around what I was seeing," added Matthews. "Mo made a great play to me, and I just tried to make sure I found him backdoor as quickly as I could before Vasilevskiy could react."
Since the conclusion of the 4 Nations tournament, Knies has been on fire, tallying eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points. Only Toronto's big guns sit ahead of him on the team scoring list.
"He's brimming with confidence, and that's fantastic," noted Berube. "His success is rooted in his competitiveness.
He's a battler—he skates through opponents, works the forecheck, fights down low, and clings to the puck. His drive is unmatched."
Flashback to nearly two years ago, Knies was on Amalie Arena ice, his college dreams with the University of Minnesota falling short. Fast forward, and he's rewritten that narrative with 10 goals and six assists in nine games against Tampa.
"I guess I get this question whenever we're here," Knies chuckled. "But I really wanted to replace those old memories with new, better ones, and I'd say tonight was a start."
Knies' season performance now stands at 29 goals, 26 assists, tallying up to 55 points. His game is peaking at just the right time, delivering in clutch moments for Toronto. With this win, the Maple Leafs are inching closer to potentially facing their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, in the first playoff round.
"Yeah, I mean, getting this win against a rival feels amazing," Knies said, reflecting on their position ahead of Tampa in the division. "The vibe in the locker room is fantastic. It was a team effort, and I'm thrilled for everyone involved."
As the season winds down, Knies is proving how integral he is to the Maple Leafs' playoff ambitions—a star rising at just the right moment.
