Document: Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Seemingly Out vs. Bruins in G5 With Injury, Illness

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews is “no longer likely to be on hand” for Game 5 in opposition to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, basically basically basically based on The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston.

Matthews is “combating an illness,” and also “believed to be nursing an undisclosed atomize,” Siegel and Johnston reported.

The Leafs face a 3-1 first-round sequence deficit and prefer a scheme shut in Boston to expand their postseason.

Matthews neglected the third period of the Leafs’ game Saturday night after skating apt over 14 minutes within the Game 4 loss.

Matthews neglected educate Friday, prior to Saturday’s Game 4, and all all over again on Monday, per Joshua Clipperton of The Canadian Press.

He participated in Tuesday’s educate “for approximately 10 minutes, doing mild skating and deflecting shots,” basically basically basically based on Kevin McGran of the Toronto Superstar.

Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe used to be noncommittal as to Matthews’ set apart after Tuesday’s educate.

“He’s working by strategy of things to preserve a search at to originate himself on hand to play,” Keefe talked about, basically basically basically based on McGran. “No decision at the moment.”

Keefe talked about group doctors would within the waste comprise Matthews’ availability for the elimination game, per McGran.

“This time of yr, the players are going to originate all that they’ll to receive within the market,” Keefe talked about. “After which the clinical group goes to originate all they’ll to make obvious the players are on hand, whereas also making obvious that they’re sorted. So that is what we’re working by strategy of.”

Matthews had recorded one shot on win and two hits prior to being pulled by doctors from Game 4, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.

He used to be previously instrumental within the Leafs’ closing victory over the Bruins, aiding twice and then scoring the sport-winner in a 3-2 Game 2 victory that tied the sequence at 1-1.

Matthews used to be much less of a part at some level of Toronto’s Game 3 and Game 4 losses, at some level of which Keefe confirmed Sunday he had been facing an illness.

“For whatever reason, it be no longer a form of day to day forms of ailments that originate of come and tear,” Keefe talked about, per Siegel. “This one has lingered and the outcomes enjoy lingered and gotten worse when he’s on the ice declaring himself.”

Keefe did no longer verify the atomize reported by Siegel and Johnston. Matthews used to be taken all of the formulation down to the ice by Boston’s Charlie McAvoy at some level of Toronto’s Game 3 loss closing week.

In case of one other absence from Matthews, who won his third Rocket Richard Trophy this season after main the NHL with 69 targets, the Leafs will need increased production from varied offensive stars at the side of Mitch Marner and William Nylander in repeat to aid the group’s playoff hopes alive.