On the second game of a back-to-back, the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to keep their hot play alive, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1, looking more likely to clinch an Atlantic Division win for the first time in the team’s history.
With both teams playing the night prior, the Leafs’ first period looked sloppy on both sides of the ice, getting outplayed by a Canes team that has already set their playoff matchup with the New Jersey Devils.
Even with the constant pressure of the Canes, Leafs Forward Pontus Holmberg would get the game’s first goal with 16 seconds left in the period, giving Toronto a 1-0 lead.
In the Middle frame, the Leafs would find their legs and added to the scoring as Auston Matthews would fire one past Carolina’s netminder Frederik Andersen for his 31st of the season.
This would be Matthews’ 399th goal since entering the NHL, and with two more games to be played, the milestone of 400 goals is still very possible.
Mitch Marner would also find his name on the scoresheet with an assist on the goal, which would get him one point away from the century mark in points for the first time in his career.
The Leafs would take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission, looking to add to the scoring in the third, and that is what they did.
The Leafs’ second line would take control with William Nylander getting his 45th goal of the season on a nice slap pass from Max Domi and John Tavares with his 38th goal of the year on a knuckle puck past Andersen.
Sebastian Aho would get his 29th goal on the Power play, but this would only be a consolation for the Hurricanes as Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll would shut the door, giving the Buds their 50th win of the season.
Nylander, who was able to score the third goal of the game, said he thought the team battled hard after the first period to get the win.
“Woller (Woll) stood on his head and made a couple really huge saves, and I mean we got a nice goal to get the lead in the first, which maybe we didn’t deserve, but we battled and I mean stuck with it and were able to score a couple there in the second and the third,” Nylander said.
Unfortunately, with the Tampa Bay Lightning beating the Buffalo Sabers 7-4, Toronto will have to wait on officially clinching first in the division, but with the win, the Leafs will control their own destiny to make this a reality. 
The Leafs will be back in action on Tuesday with another chance to clinch the division, as they take on the Sabers in the second last game of the season.
