NBA Playoffs, April 30
BOSTON — Auston Matthews was forced to watch with the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ season on the line.
Battling an illness the better part of the last week, the three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goal-scorer made a brief appearance at Tuesday’s optional morning skate with Toronto down 3-1 to the Boston Bruins in the teams’ first-round playoff series.
There was hope Matthews would be able to suit up with the club facing elimination, but he didn’t take the ice for warmups at TD Garden for Game 5.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the morning session his best player was “working through things to try and make himself available.”
Unfortunately for Toronto, he was unable to get there.
The 26-year-old centre had a monster Game 2 with a goal and two assists to help the Leafs even the series 1-1, but didn’t look like himself two nights later in a 4-2 loss.
Matthews, who led the NHL with the league’s first 69-goal regular season in almost three decades, then missed practice Friday for what the team initially called “maintenance.”
He was on the ice Saturday morning ahead of Game 4 and tried to give it a go before being pulled from the action by doctors in the second intermission as Toronto was pushed to the brink in a disappointing 3-1 defeat.
“Not one of those run-of-the-mill, everyday type of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Keefe said Sunday. “This one has lingered and the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he’s getting on the ice and asserting himself.
“We’ve just got to manage that and give him the time that he needs. We’re hopeful that it’ll turn.”
Keefe said Tuesday that Matthews was doing all he could to be out there with the group as it faced the daunting task of winning three straight against an opponent that had taken 10 of the teams’ last 11 meetings dating back to the 2022-23 season.
“I just look at the last couple of games (and) the way he’s given us everything that he’s got,” Keefe said. “This time of year, the players are going to do all that they can to get out there, and the medical team is going to do all that they can to make sure the players are available, while also making sure they’re taken care of.”
Keefe added medical professionals — not Matthews — would decide his Game 5 availability.
“Doctors make the call for the players and their best interests,” he said. “They won’t put anybody in harm’s way.”
The Leafs are 1-16 all-time when trailing a series 3-1, but Boston blew the same lead last season in the first round against the Florida Panthers.
This best-of-seven series began with roster questions on both sides.
Leafs star William Nylander’s status was unclear because of an undisclosed injury until he joined the fray in Game 4. The Bruins have been coy about their starting goaltender from the outset, but seem to have settled on Jeremy Swayman, who had won seven consecutive games against Toronto entering Tuesday.
Matthews became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 to reach 69 goals, falling just one short of becoming the ninth in NHL history to hit 70.
Keefe was asked before Game 5 if there’s something other than an illness bothering his sniper.
He declined to provide any more information.
“I’ve already answered too many questions on the situation,” Keefe said. “We’ve been through this situation with (Nylander).
“Time of the year we’re not going to answer much else.”
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