Auston Matthews Shuts Down Head Coach Travis Green's Accusation Ahead of Game 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs did themselves a service during Game One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, not only coming away with a 6-2 thrashing of the Senators, but they did so on the back of three power play goals and a complete effort from top to bottom.

Senators coach Travis Green was not too thrilled with how many penalties his team was assessed, and believed the Maple Leafs were unscrupulously falling and trying to garner some extra calls.

While it's understandable for Green to be upset, there's a reason Toronto was drawing so many penalties and it's more so a lack of discipline on Ottawa's end, and their new strategy is the real reason.

At least according to Auston Matthews, quite cheekily too:

Matthews grinned slyly when answering the question and knew that their style of play caused havoc for the Senators all night, and found some humor in their rival's coach finding excuses.

Part of the Core Four for years, Sunday's game was the first time in the playoffs that it felt the quartet were not only prepared to the postseason, but can perform at the level Toronto needs them to be.

The four combined for nine points with Matthews getting two assists.

No doubt will Matthews' comments stoke the fire as the series continues, and if Green's team doesn't start to figure things out at least from a discipline standpoint, he won't be able to call Toronto divers for much longer and maybe should try and get his team to play a bit tighter.

They did bring up Pontus Holmberg to the second line and it's not for any real type of offensive potential, but his innate ability to draw penalties and frustrate the Senators will make life way easier for William Nylander and John Tavares, especially if they can take advantage of Holmberg's antics.

But if Green is really worried about whether or not the Maple Leafs are diving, he should really take a look at his own roster and maybe tell Tim Stutzle to knock it off if he starts trying to win an Oscar himself.

You can't have your cake and eat it too, Travis.