Auston Matthews will not play in Game 5 for Toronto
Auston Matthews skated briefly this morning but will not be in the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.
Auston Matthews is NOT on the ice for warm-up
Leafs without their best player tonight as they face elimination in Boston @TSN_Edge
Matthews was pulled by the team doctor in the second period of Game 4 and did not return due to illness. He played only 14:16 and finished minus-1.
The 69-goal scorer for Toronto has been fighting an illness throughout the series, according to Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. Here is what he said about it after the loss in Game 4.
“For whatever reason, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill everyday types of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Keefe said. “This one has lingered. “The effects have lingered and gotten worse when he gets on the ice and is asserting himself.”
Matthews was forced to miss practices ahead of Game 3 and has not been at his best this postseason.
In four playoff games, the Arizona native has recorded three points (one goal, two assists). He was the NHL’s leading goal scorer by a long shot in the regular season and finished with a career-high 107 points (69 goals, 38 assists) and plus-31 rating in 81 games.
The Maple Leafs enter Game 5 trailing the Bruins 3-1 in the series. The two teams split the games in Boston, but the Bruins won both up in Ontario to take a commanding series lead.
Toronto ended a 19-year playoff series victory drought with a first-round win against the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2023. They have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967, the longest drought in the league.