Matthew Knies delivered a signature performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-3 thriller against the Tampa Bay Lightning, earning a rave review from head coach Craig Berube.

Knies recorded the second hat-trick of his career, which included the overtime winner, capping off an outstanding game where the Maple Leafs maintained their narrow, three-point lead in the Atlantic Division over the Lightning.

“Knies does what he does. He is around the net scoring goals. That is his game. His work ethic and how strong he is as a player really came through tonight,” Berube said post-game.

The totality of Knies’ skill set was on full display and the Maple Leafs’ ascendant star is now up to 29 goals and 55 points in 74 games, where he’s been a staple on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Knies is a modern power forward, and it’s precisely this type of performance that ought to give Maple Leafs fans some confidence that this spring may be different from the past decade.

“It’s impressive. I came in here not knowing a whole lot about him. You see him at camp, and you start (to get to know him). Again, he has grown tremendously throughout the season,” Berube said of Knies’ maturation throughout the year.

“The reason for his success is his competitiveness, in my opinion. It’s really, really high-end. He wins battles, he skates through people all night, gets in there on the forecheck, wins battles down low, hangs on the pucks, he’s a highly competitive player.”

It has been a true breakout season for Knies, who is a pending restricted free agent at the end of the year and should be a top priority for the Maple Leafs this offseason. Knies is the true pillar between the team’s current contention window and an uncertain future, where he’s clearly the best under-25 player in the organization.

“It feels incredible. Just getting this win against a rival team, it’s a good feeling in that locker room. We had a great effort all around. I’m just happy for these guys,” Knies said post-game.

Wednesday’s game was considered by some to be the most important contest of the Maple Leafs’ season and Knies arrived with a big-time performance, and he’s playing with a ton of confidence with the playoffs around the corner.