Things could get a whole lot worse for the Maple Leafs
In case being on the wrong end of a 3-1 series deficit wasn’t bad enough, the Toronto Maple Leafs could have some legitimate doubt when it comes to the status of their top talent for Tuesday’s do-or-die Game 5 in Boston.
Dealing with an illness that’s both limited him and led to an early exit from Saturday’s Game 4 loss to the Bruins, Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews No Auston Matthews at Leafs practice today.
“For whatever reason, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill, everyday type of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Keefe told reporters ( Sheldon Keefe on Auston Matthews: "For whatever reason, it's not one of those run-of-the-mill everyday type of illnesses that sort of come and go. This one has lingered. The affects have lingered and gotten worse when he gets on the ice and is asserting himself."
With Matthews unavailable for the third period of Saturday’s loss and again for Monday’s practice, the Leafs have moved Max Domi to the middle of their first line, with Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner on the wings. The Leafs rolled that Bertuzzi-Domi-Marner trio out for just over 18 minutes of five-on-five action during the 2023-24 regular season, with the Leafs outshot 9-5 and outscored 2-1 over that sample, but Toronto’s only goal of their Game 4 loss came with that line out there.
As for Matthews, his status for Game 5 remains up in the air ahead of the Leafs traveling to Boston.
Sheldon Keefe says Auston Matthews’ status for tomorrow is “yet to be determined”.
— David Alter (@dalter) April 29, 2024
He will travel with the club. “Hopeful” he feels better.
“We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Matthews has been held without a point in three of the first four games of this series, and was especially limited in Game 4 prior to his departure, with just one shot on goal and two hits in 14:16 of time on ice before doctors pulled him from the game.