Maple Leafs star center Auston Matthews missed practice on Friday, labeled as a "maintenance day" by the team.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston revealed that Matthews played through an illness during Game 3. Despite this, he has managed one goal and two assists in the postseason, all occurring during a Game 2 victory in Boston.
Looking ahead to Game 4, The Athletic discussed the Leafs' improved chances with Matthews expected to be in better health after playing through illness in Game 3. His absence from the morning skate was attributed to his need for rest, which affected his performance despite logging over 23 minutes of ice time.
With an extra day to recover before Game 4, the Leafs are optimistic about Matthews and Nylander returning to full strength.
Matthews' impact was evident in Game 2, but the Bruins' tough defense posed challenges for him in Game 3. Despite the setback, the Leafs remain hopeful for a strong performance in the upcoming game.
POLL | ||
26 AVRIL | 878 ANSWERS Leafs bad luck continues as Matthews misses second straight practice Do you think William Nylander and Auston Matthews will play in game 4 against the Boston Bruins? | ||
Yes, both will play | 607 | 69.1 % |
Only Matthews | 131 | 14.9 % |
Only Nylander | 85 | 9.7 % |
Neither will play | 55 | 6.3 % |
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