After missing nine games with an upper-body injury, Auston Matthews has come back and is putting the puck in the net? Is he fully back or will it be a long road ahead? Max Domi and Jake McCabe will both be absent from the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup when they face the Washington Capitals on Friday at Scotiabank Arena. Both players participated in a small group skate on Thursday, while the rest of the team took a day off (except for Leafs rookie Fraser Minten and Alex Nylander) from practice. Domi has been sidelined with a lower-body injury and was officially been placed on injured reserve. This will mark his seventh consecutive missed game. The 29-year-old forward has been enduring a challenging season, currently in the midst of a 13-game pointless streak. In 19 games played, Domi has yet to score a goal and has registered six assists. The Leafs have acknowledged that Domi had been dealing with physical issues during his offensive struggles, which may have contributed to his lack of production. The player has not spoken to the media since he came out of the lineup. McCabe, who has also been ruled out for Friday's game, has been recovering after taking a puck to the head during the Leafs' 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30. After the game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he didn't expect the player to miss any time after the incident, but will now miss his third consecutive game. The player also spoke to media on Tuesday saying he felt better and declared himself ready, but was held out of the club's 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators. McCabe has been a reliable presence on the Leafs’ blue line this season. In October, the 31-year-old signed a five-year extension with Toronto. Max Pacioretty, remains unavailable due to a lower-body injury and his placement on long-term injured reserve. Pacioretty is ineligible to return until Dec. 7 at the earliest, when the Leafs are scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Penguins. The player spoke earlier in the week and says he feels good, but acknowledged there were factors "beyond his control" from returning. The Leafs have fared well without several key players as they work to get healthier. They are 10-2-0 in their last 12 games.
