Matthews releases the eye injury and scores the big goal for Maple Leaf in game 6

A time later it was definitely that.

After the game was still looking for his first goal and the Maple Leafs removed a shot from the excretion, the striker Mitch Marner corrected a loose puck right in front of the blue line in Florida and pushed it on Matthews.

His eyesight now intact, he took a few steps to the top of the left face-off circle and released his patented snapshot. At that time he had never achieved a playoff goal against the Panthers in 10 earlier games.

Until now.

When the puck went through the legs of the goalkeeper of Florida Sergei Bobrovsky and the back of the network, he gave Toronto more than just a 1-0 lead with 13:40 in the regulation.

In fact, there was Matthews a signature playoff moment that had previously been too far and a few in between.

He had gone five games without a goal and this spring only had two in eleven games of the playoffs. Previously, he had 33 in his career during the regular season 33, partly on an injury to the upper body that had plagued him all season. So often he was not a differentiator among the light lights of the off -season.

And in this ninth NHL season, in the Toronto fans, he finally had patience with him, so much that on Wednesday he was targeted by the home winner during the Moribund 6: 1 loss of the Maple Leaf in game 5 in game 5. In the third period, a dashed fan threw a Matthews No. 34 jersey on the ice, a symbolic gesture, not to mention a flattering.

But he changed this story on Friday, at least for now, with the type of bold performance that his teammates had in awe.

“I mean, it's such a big, big goal,” said striker Max Pacioretty. “You know that this is a situation in which nobody wants to make a mistake. At that time in the game you could feel the tension on both sides there. And then only an incredible shot from an incredible player.

“That's why he's our captain.”

One who couldn't feel any other than relief when he entered the puck into the network.

“It felt great,” said Matthews. “I had some good chances, so I will continue to shoot and keep believing that the next one goes.

“Well, that felt great.”