- - Matthews scores a hat trick to lead Maple Leafs to 6-5 comeback win over Jets

January 2, 2026 at 4:08 AM

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1 / 4Jets Maple Leafs HockeyToronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews (34) and goaltender Dennis Hildeby (35) celebrate after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored his 14th career hat trick and added an assist to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 6-5 comeback win against the struggling Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Jets goalie Eric Comrie could not freeze a loose puck at the side of his goal and it slid to a wide-open Matthews in front who completed his hat trick and snapped a 5-all deadlock with 4:22 remaining.

Matthews also scored on the power play with two seconds remaining in the second period to pull the Maple Leafs to within 4-3.

Matthews pulled to within one goal of tying Mats Sundin’s franchise record of 420 goals.

It was Toronto's fifth win in its last six games.

Winnipeg squandered a 4-1 lead for its eighth loss in a row. Mark Scheifele scored two goals and set up another to lead the Jets.

After Scheifele put his team ahead 5-4 on the power play, Troy Stecher’s slap shot tied it.

Toronto backup Dennis Hildeby picked up the win with 22 saves after relieving Joseph Woll early in the second period after he allowed four goals on 18 shots.

The Maple Leafs were without William Nylander (lower body) for the third straight game. Dakota Joshua (kidney) and Chris Tanev (lower body) were also absent.

With his second goal, Matthews set a franchise record for goals at home with 232, passing Darryl Sittler’s 44-year-old mark. Matthews has three goals and six points in his last three games.

The Jets have gone 3-13-4 in their last 20 games.

Up next

Jets: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Leafs: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

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Source: “AOL Sports”