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Auston Matthews laments Maple Leafs’ mistakes vs. Avalanche: ‘It’s on all of us’
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Jan 26, 2026, 08:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 25, 2026, 17:37 EST
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The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped their fourth straight game, losing 4-1 to the National Hockey League’s first-place team, the Colorado Avalanche. The Maple Leafs have one more game on this current five-game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres to get back on track before heading on the road for four games prior to the Olympic break. 
“We got one more game before we go on the road here, we want to get back on the winning track,” Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews said. “Especially when things are tough, and things are a grind, you’ve got to push even harder.”
A week that saw the Leafs come out with slow starts twice, first against the Minnesota Wild on Monday and then again against the Vegas Golden Knights, was a cause for concern for the Maple Leafs team. Matthews thought the team had a better approach to open Sunday’s contest. 
“I think earlier in the week, just coming out flat in games, didn’t feel like we had the energy that we needed to compete at a high level,” Matthews said. “I thought today we came out better, forechecked better in that first period, then just made mistakes, and the puck ends up in your net.”
The mistakes allowed Avalanche forward Brock Nelson to score twice in a span of 1:12 in the first period, giving the Avalanche a lead they would not relinquish. 
“There’s just mental mistakes and times when we shoot ourselves, and then you’re down 2-0 to the best team in the league, and you end up having to chase the game the rest of the night,” Matthews said. “I think that the most frustrating part is just going through this adversity. It’s on all of us, we all need to be better and execute.”
The Maple Leafs need players to step up to help dig themselves out of this ugly stretch, as they sit five points back of the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot in the crowded Eastern Conference. 
“Everybody just has to be better, has to play better, has to do the little things a little bit harder and a little bit better,” Matthews said. “When it’s hard, and you are going through adversity, it’s bringing everybody up and pushing yourself harder.”
Matthews, who has now failed to record a point in three straight games and is a minus-three over that span, touched on the dry spell over the past three outings. 
“I mean, you want to see the puck go in, but just trying to be better in the other areas and get the opportunities. One’s going to go in eventually,” Matthews said. “It’s tough when it’s not going in and you’re going through adversity, but you can’t compound that with being negative or trying to do too much. It’s just getting back on the horse and keep riding, keep working and pull yourself out of the hole.”
With 30 games left to play, the Maple Leafs need to get going if they want to return to the playoffs for a 10th straight season. 
“It’s about this next game now and pulling each other up, helping each other when things aren’t going well,” Matthews said. “You can’t get down, start to have a bad attitude or try to be on your own program.”
The Maple Leafs return to action Tuesday night against the Sabres. Puck drop set for 7 p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena. 

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