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Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews is “unlikely to be available” for Game 5 against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, according to The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston.
Matthews is “battling an illness,” and also “believed to be nursing an undisclosed injury,” Siegel and Johnston reported.
The Leafs face a 3-1 first-round series deficit and need a win in Boston to extend their postseason.
Matthews missed the third period of the Leafs’ game Saturday night after skating just over 14 minutes in the Game 4 loss.
Matthews missed practice Friday, prior to Saturday’s Game 4, and again on Monday, per Joshua Clipperton of The Canadian Press.
He participated in Tuesday’s practice “for about 10 minutes, doing light skating and deflecting shots,” according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was noncommittal as to Matthews’ status after Tuesday’s practice.
“He’s working through things to try to make himself available to play,” Keefe said, according to McGran. “No determination at this time.”
Keefe said team doctors would ultimately decide Matthews’ availability for the elimination game, per McGran.
“This time of year, the players are going to do all that they can to get out there,” Keefe said. “And then the medical team is going to do all they can to make sure the players are available, while also making sure that they’re taken care of. So that’s what we’re working through.”
Matthews had recorded one shot on net and two hits prior to being pulled by doctors from Game 4, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
He was previously instrumental in the Leafs’ last victory over the Bruins, assisting twice and then scoring the game-winner in a 3-2 Game 2 victory that tied the series at 1-1.
Matthews was less of a factor during Toronto’s Game 3 and Game 4 losses, during which Keefe confirmed Sunday he had been dealing with an illness.
“For whatever reason, it’s not one of those everyday types of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Keefe said, per Siegel. “This one has lingered and the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he’s on the ice asserting himself.”
Keefe did not confirm the injury reported by Siegel and Johnston. Matthews was taken down to the ice by Boston’s Charlie McAvoy during Toronto’s Game 3 loss last week.
In case of another absence from Matthews, who won his third Rocket Richard Trophy this season after leading the NHL with 69 goals, the Leafs will need increased production from other offensive stars including Mitch Marner and William Nylander in order to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive.
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