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Matthews feeling positive despite 4-game pointless streak

Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty

Auston Matthews took Round 1.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' star rookie was held pointless in his fourth straight game Tuesday, a 3-2 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid, but his team got two points, and that's all that matters. It helped that McDavid didn't record a point, either.

Matthews played a season-high - and now a career-high - 19:28, and had numerous chances to score, finishing with six shots. And while he's officially slumping for the first time in his young NHL career, he's feeling good about what he's doing with his linemates.

"I think as a line this was one of our best games of the year," Matthews said, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "We were definitely in possession of the puck a lot, creating a lot of opportunities. They just didn't go in, but I think it's really positive here heading into our next game."

The advanced statistics back up Matthews' claim. He finished with a team-high 58.97 Corsi For rating, according to Corsica Hockey, while his linemates Zach Hyman (56.41) and William Nylander (55.26) ranked second and fourth on the team, on a night Toronto was badly outpossessed (56.9 to 43.1) and outshot (46-31).

Matthews and the Maple Leafs are in Buffalo on Thursday to face the Sabres.

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