Auston Matthews led the Toronto Maple Leafs in delivering one of their most complete performances of the season on Saturday. They overwhelmed the Sidney Crosby-led Pittsburgh Penguins 7-2. For Matthews, who recorded a goal and an assist in the win, the night represented both a personal step forward and an important team-wide reset.Speaking with Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas, Auston Matthews emphasized the group’s mindset entering the matchup."I think just a really good start," Matthews said. "...I thought all four lines obviously contributed tonight. And, yeah, it's a good step for our team, obviously, on a road trip like this, where you know you're playing a lot of games, a lot of tough opponents."Disappointing loss last night, so just a good opportunity for us to bounce back tonight. And I thought we had a really good effort all throughout the lineup."Auston Matthews’ goal marked his first in three games since returning from the lower-body injury that sidelined him from Nov. 13 to 22. With 17 points and 75 shots through 20 games, his offense is present, though his production has lagged slightly as he works back to full strength.Analysts have raised concerns about Matthews' performance this season. His shot velocity and comfort level are still recovering. He is looking for improvement after last season’s career-low 33 goals.Matthews reflected on navigating the ups and downs of a season."That's what it's all about," Matthews said. "I mean, you go through adversity, just battling through that. And you know, we got a great group in here, great staff, and, you know, up and down our lineup, just really close team. So it's easy to lean on guys."But I know for me, it's, you know, bearing down, especially when it's not easy. You're going through that adversity and just trying to push a little bit harder and do whatever you can to help the team win - and in different ways."Also read: Leafs captain Auston Matthews breaks silence on injury speculation amid growing criticism - "It was a tough year"Auston Matthews talked about the Leafs' strategyThe Leafs have shown inconsistent play through the first part of the 2025-26 season and have lost eight out of their last 11 games. Still, this crucial win has improved their record to 11-11-3.When asked whether the win brought any sense of relief, Auston Matthews instead framed it as a building block."No, I don't think it's a sigh relief," Matthews said. "I think it should be a good step in the right direction, step of confidence. And just the way that we're able to play over the course of 60 Minutes consistently. I thought we did that tonight. So, you know, step in the right direction for us. We just want to build on it."With the Maple Leafs sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Saturday’s dominant showing could serve as a potential turning point. And for Matthews, each step forward brings him closer to rediscovering the elite form Toronto needs.