Matthews skated for approximately 30 minutes with conditioning staff before his team took the ice for a full morning skate.
Matthews skated for approximately 30 minutes with conditioning staff before his team took the ice for a full morning skate.
Auston Matthews skated on the ice for approximately 30 minutes early Thursday morning with Toronto Maple Leafs' conditioning staff. The Leafs star worked hard during worked on skating and shooting as the player continues to recover from an illness and perhaps something more.
Although working hard on the ice is a good sign Matthews might be feeling better, he did not take part in the team's full skate that followed. Typically players who play in games don't spend that much time working with conditioning staff before a game.
UPDATE: In his media availability following his team's morning skate, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Matthews will not play in Game 6.
Matthews left during the second intermission of Game 4 against the Bruins and did not take part in Game 5. While the Maple Leafs have said the player was dealing with an illness, there have been numerous suggestions that more may be at play here.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was asked if Matthews was dealing with more than just an illness ahead of Game 5, but declined to discuss the topic any further.
Matthews was key in helping the Leafs win Game 2. He scored a goal and added two assists in the 3-2 win.
"t's difficult, obviously, when you got one of the best players in the world and possibly not available," Maple Leafs captain John Tavares said of Matthews. "But it's the nature of the game, the sport, and we've been through it before."
The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 2-1 in overtime in Game 5 without Matthews in the lineup to force a Game 6. They trail the Bruins 3-2 in their best-of-seven series.
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