The Toronto Maple Leafs have played some of their most uninspiring hockey of the season over the past week or so. They have lost three games in a row in regulation for the first time since last season following losses to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night,

Auston Matthews spoke to the media after the Toronto Maple Leafs lost 4-1 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Matthews scored the first goal of the game with an assist from Mitch Marner.

Every team in the NHL would love to have just one of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, or William Nylander. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the luxury of all three stars.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews feels that his team is overcomplicating things on the power play and they need to get back to basics. In Saturday’s shutout loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Leafs got three power-play chances on the night and combined to record two shots (both of which were on the first attempt).

Matthews has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last six games since he returned from injury. That increases his season total to 15 goals, 17 assists and 116 shots in 30 games. And you can expect Matthews' goal scoring to increase given his somewhat flat 12.

Matthews and Nylander both scored two goals as Toronto battled back from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits in the third period to beat New Jersey 4-3.

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews is on track to play for the United States when the 4 Nations Face-off begins on Feb. 12 despite dealing with an upper-body injury that has bothered him since training camp.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz will not play in Thursday's game against the visiting Montreal Canadiens due to an upper-body injury.

"We're down. You know, just moving guys around," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of the switch after the game. "They went out and scored right away, and then I just trying to get some goals back as quickly as possible."

Matthews has put up points in 10 of his last 11 games (eight goals, seven assists), and he has 17 goals and 17 assists in 31 games this season. Matthews' pace is quickening, which spells good things for your second half.

Logan Stankoven had two goals to snap a 25-game scoring drought and the visiting Dallas Stars defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Stankoven and Matt Duchene each tallied three points as Dallas got back on track and finished its road trip on a high note.