Auston Matthews seeks more crowd energy after Reaves fight

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews expressed disappointment with the lack of energy from the home crowd at Scotiabank Arena following a spirited fight between teammate Ryan Reaves and Columbus Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier. Despite the intense bout less than two minutes into the game, which saw both players exchanging punches, the crowd remained subdued, which Matthews noted post-game. The Leafs suffered a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets, with Matthews scoring the only goal for Toronto, extending his personal goal streak to five games. Reaves, known for his fighting prowess, was involved in his first fight of the season, having been denied a fight by Montreal's Arber Xhekaj in a previous game. The loss left the Leafs atop the Atlantic Division with 62 points, while Columbus secured a strong position in the East Wild Card standings. Matthews, in his first season as Leafs' captain, emphasized the fight's significance for team morale, highlighting Reaves' veteran leadership role.