BOSTON — Auston Matthews is unlikely to be available to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, according to a person briefed on the matter.
Matthews has been battling an illness and was forced to sit out the third period of Saturday’s Game 4 against the Boston Bruins.
It looked like a sign that maybe he would be available to play in Game 5.
Though the Leafs didn’t officially rule him out for the game, Keefe didn’t seem overly optimistic about the possibility of Matthews playing when speaking with reporters.
Should Matthews be unable to go, it would be only the second game he’s missed all season after sitting out one in December due to illness.
It would also be the first playoff game he’s missed during an eight-year NHL career.
They don’t put anybody in harm’s way.” Team doctors pulled Matthews from Game 4 after the second period.
Matthews has three points in the series – a goal and two assists all registered during Toronto’s Game 2 victory at TD Garden that saw Matthews score the game-winner in the third period.
BOSTON— A person with knowledge of the situation says that Auston Matthews is unlikely to be available for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
Due to a medical condition, Matthews was unable to play in the third period of Saturday’s Game 4 against the Boston Bruins. With the Leafs trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, it was highly likely that he wouldn’t be able to play on Tuesday due to the rumored to be an undisclosed injury.
It seems like he’s trying his hardest to play.
Tuesday morning, at 11:08 a.m., Matthews was the first Leaf to skate on the optional TD Garden ice. M. for the arranged 11:30 a.m. M. A skate. It appeared to be a hint that he might be available to play in Game 5.
Manny Malhotra, the Leafs’ assistant coach, was Matthews’ direct collaborator.
From close range, the two shot pucks back and forth to each other. After receiving passes on his forehand, Matthews swiftly moved the puck to his backhand before hurling it back to Malholtra. Next, with his back to the net, Matthews tipped pucks that Malhotra had long-range shots. Almost all of the roughly twelve shots Malhotra fired were struck by him with his stick.
That concluded things.
The fact that Matthews barely put forth any effort is significant because, as head coach Sheldon Keefe stated over the weekend, “the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he’s on the ice asserting himself.”. “.
In eight minutes, Matthews was off the ice. On Monday, he skipped practice entirely.
In an interview with reporters, Keefe seemed less than sanguine about Matthews’ chances of playing, even though the Leafs had not officially ruled him out of the contest. If Matthews is unable to travel, it will only be his second missed game of the season; he missed one in December because of illness.
In his eight years as an NHL player, it would also be the first playoff game he has missed.
“The doctor is the one who makes the call,” Keefe declared. “Always acting in the players’ best interests, the doctors make the decision. They do not endanger anyone. “.
Matthews was removed from Game 4 by team physicians following the second half.
With his goal and two assists in Toronto’s Game 2 victory at TD Garden, where he also recorded the game-winning point in the third period, Matthews has three points in the series.
Max Domi skated in Matthews’ place on the team’s top power-play unit and took his place on the first line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner during Monday’s practice.
(Image via Getty Images / Kevin Sousa / NHLI).
