Maple Leafs clinch playoff spot for 6th straight season

The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading back to the postseason.

Toronto clinched a playoff berth for the sixth straight year with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at home Saturday night. The club is second in the Atlantic Division with a 47-19-6 record.

Auston Matthews scored twice in the contest, with his initial tally making him the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1996 to score 50 goals in 50 games. John Tavares also added one marker.

"I don't really have too many words for that," Matthews said of being in the same conversation as Lemieux, according to The Canadian Press. "It's pretty surreal. He's one of the best players to ever play."

Head coach Sheldon Keefe and Jason Spezza shared a moment on the bench after Matthews scored his second goal just 27 seconds after his historic first.

"Spezz turned around and gave me the eyes like, 'This is something special,'" Keefe said. "(Matthews) was great tonight."

The fans at Scotiabank Arena broke out into "MVP" chants for Matthews midway through the game. The 24-year-old is up to 58 goals and 41 assists in 67 contests.

"You get chills in your bones," Matthews said of hearing the crowd.

The Maple Leafs became the fifth team in the NHL to clinch a playoff spot, joining the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Rangers.

Toronto hasn't won a postseason series since 2004. The team has played in the playoffs six times since.

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