Team USA came home golden from the Olympics. As players are welcomed back, they are being celebrated for their Olympic performances. Auston Matthews has been celebrated by his teammates, and he should expect cheers when he plays at home for the first time despite playing for a Canadian franchise.
He probably did not expect a cheer on the road, though, but that is what happened when the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, according to Jay Recher.
During the first TV timeout, the Lightning played a salute to their Olympians, showing the player, their country, and some highlights. Players such as Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel were honored. There was also a large ovation for coach Jon Cooper, who is away from the team following the death of his father.
After the montage completed, the camera found the Olympians on the ice or the bench, as fans continued to cheer. The last person shown on the video board was Matthews. The Lightning fans gave him a short ovation, and he acknowledged them by cracking a smile.
While Matthews came home with a gold medal, his team did not leave Tampa Bay with a win. The Lightning took a 4-2 victory over the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. Matthews registered one point in the game, getting an assist on a Matthew Knies goal late in the third period.
The Leafs are now 27-22-9 on the year, sitting in seventh in the Atlantic Division. They are also six points out of a playoff spot, and need to turn things around quickly if Matthews wants to add Stanley Cup champion beside gold medal winner on his resume.
His team returns to the ice on Thursday night, visiting the Florida Panthers in a quick turnaround after Wednesday's loss.
