Cutter Gauthier hits Auston Matthews in the face with his skate.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews struck by the skate of Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is extremely lucky to have avoided disaster in this situation.

On Sunday night, Matthews and the Maple Leafs faced off against the Anaheim Ducks and it would be during that game’s second period that Matthews would come dangerously close to a catastrophe.

Late in the second frame, Matthews would use his big body to win a puck battle against Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier, but in the process he would send Gauthier sailing through the air, unable to stop his forward momentum. As Gauthier went flying through the air his foot would come right up to Matthews’ face and the top of his skate would strike Matthews in his visor. Matthews’ head would go reeling back as a result of the impact, but thankfully the protective shield on Matthews’ helmet prevented what could have been extremely serious damage.

Here’s a look at a close up of the incident in question:

It was no doubt a terrifying moment for Matthews who briefly looked around as if in disbelief after everything that had just transpired in the blink of an eye, but thankfully no real harm was done.

No doubt a situation like this involving such a prominent player will reignite the conversation around what kind of cut-resistant equipment hockey players should be wearing, a conversation that has gained considerable steam in recent years due to a series of unfortunate events such as this one.

Thankfully this time no one was injured.

Auston Matthews almost hit in face by Ducks star’s skate in terrifying moment

Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier almost clipped Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews in the face with his skate during Sunday’s NHL game, as a scary injury was avoided.

Auston Matthews narrowly avoiding taking a skate to the face (Image: Sportsnet)

Auston Matthews’ face came within an inch of Cutter Gauthier’s skate on Sunday, in a scary near miss as the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In the final moments of the second period, Matthews attempted a shot on the turn but collided with Gauthier as the Ducks forward looked to poke check the puck out of the Anaheim zone. Gauthier lost balance and fell forward as he skated into Matthews, and the momentum forced his left leg into the air.

Gauthier’s left skate grazed past Matthews’ face, and some quick reflexes from the Maple Leafs center meant he was able to turn his head away. Matthews then snapped his head back as Gauthier continued to fall onto the ice, and he appeared dazed for a moment when coming to terms with the incident.

Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson on the regional Sportsnet broadcast were both stunned when seeing a replay of the incident, with “yikes” and “oh man” being heard over the mic. Both Matthews and Gauthier came away from the incident unscathed, and the Maple Leafs went on to win the game 3-2.

Max Domi put Toronto ahead with 36 seconds remaining in the first period, and Mitch Marner doubled the lead in the second before Leo Carlsson pulled one back for the Ducks. Anaheim tied the game early into the third period, as a struggling powerplay unit finally took advantage after Morgan Rielly was called for tripping.

If was the Maple Leafs’ fourth-line that ended up being the difference, as Steve Lorentz scored the winning goal with 8:26 remaining. Toronto had several empty-net opportunities, but William Nylander and John Tavares both missed efforts as the Maple Leafs held on.

Toronto is now three points clear in the Atlantic Division, and needs one more win from eight games to guarantee a playoff spot. The Maple Leafs would have clinched if the Montreal Canadiens had lost against the Florida Panthers earlier in the day, but their Canadian rivals secured a vital 4-2 win.

The Maple Leafs are looking strong heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, though, their talisman hasn’t been his usual self. Matthews, who scored a career-high 69 goals in 81 regular season games last year, has scored just 29 in 59 so far this campaign.

Matthews has gained a reputation as one of the best five-on-five players in the NHL since being selected first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, but has only scored two goals in his previous 24 games when both teams are at full strength. That being said, Matthews has improved in other areas this season.

Auston Matthews has 68 points in 59 regular season games (Image: 2025 NHLI)
The center already has more assists (39) than he did during the previous regular season (38), and has been involved in more physical battles. Other key offensive players have also stepped up, with Matthew Knies enjoying a breakthrough year and William Nylander having the season of his life.

Matthews has also dealt with an upper-body injury this season, which forced him to miss 15 games between November and January. While his statistics this season don’t follow the trend from years past, Matthews is still the leader in the locker room.

“We all know what a tremendous offensive player and goal scorer he is,” said teammate John Tavares, who has been with the Maple Leafs since 2018. “But he makes plays all around the ice. His hockey sense and his ability to strip guys and read plays, and the way he uses his body — he’s so good in so many different areas. That’s why he’s a catalyst and leader in every facet of the word for us.”