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Matthews takes blame for Sens’ winning goal, of course

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No. 1 overall pick Auston Matthews makes history for the Toronto Maple Leafs as the first ever player to score four goals in their NHL debut.

Auston Matthews put on a debut for the record books on Wednesday, but technically it wasn’t a perfect night for the rookie.

Technically.

It’s not just that the Toronto Maple Leafs fell despite Matthews’ four goals, losing to the Ottawa Senators 5-4 in overtime. It’s that Matthews maybe could have made a better play to prevent Kyle Turris’ clinching goal:

Ultimately, even that moment made Matthews that much more likable to fans of the Leafs and sport in general. That’s because Matthews took responsibility for that goal, because of course he did:

Yeah, that’s the sort of behavior that will really make for a crowded bandwagon.

For what it’s worth, hard-driving head coach Mike Babcock is smart enough to see the big picture, calling it his most enjoyable night as Maple Leafs bench boss. And it doesn’t sound close.

Now, maybe Babs will get a scowl or two going during film sessions, but ... still.

More on Matthews’ incredible night - the good parts - can be found here.