The Maple Leafs are not rushing Auston Matthews.
Isaiah George Talk On Hockey Night in New York
When the New York Islanders defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Dec. 21, superstar forward Auston Matthews was missing from the lineup.
Despite Matthews returning to the practice sheet for the first time since re-aggravating an injury on Dec. 20, the Maple Leafs' captain will miss his fifth straight game:
Since the Islanders' win over Toronto, a game that served as the blueprint for how Patrick Roy's team has to play to win, they've gone 1-2-0, showing that complete effort just once in three games.
The Islanders have beaten Toronto five straight times, but after losing 3-2 to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, Long Island hopes to continue their success against John Tavares' squad and head into 2025 feeling a bit better about things.