Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews to Play G7 vs. Bruins After Injury; Samsonov to Start
May 4, 2024
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs sets for a face-off against the Boston Bruins during the second period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 27, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has been cleared to play in Saturday's Game 7 matchup against the Boston Bruins after missing the last two games, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
The Maple Leafs are also starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov for Game 7 after Joseph Woll sustained an injury during his Game 6 start, the team announced. Woll had started each of the last three games for Toronto.
Matthews sustained an injury at some point during Game 4 while playing through illness, Kaplan added.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston initially reported that Matthews was "a good bet to return" for Saturday contest.
Johnston and Jonas Siegel previously reported for The Athletic that Matthews suffered an injury on a hit in Game 4 while also battling an illness.
The Leafs have won two straight games without Matthews to extend the series, but the return of the NHL's leading goalscorer could improve Toronto's chances of advancing to the second round.
Matthews previously recorded three points, including the third-period game-winner, in the Maple Leafs' 3-2 Game 2 victory in Boston.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after morning practice that Matthews' status was "undetermined" for Saturday night's game, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
There are indications the decision as to whether he will play is at least closer than it was in Games 5 and 6. Matthews rejoined his teammates at for a Saturday morning skate for the first time since leaving Game 4, and did not stay late for extra work, per TSN's Mark Masters and The Hockey News' David Alter.
That skate only lasted 15 minutes, The Athletic's Jonas Siegel noted.
Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals, including a league-best 51 at even strength, in 81 games during the regular season.
His absence isn't the first time the Leafs have been missing a member of their offensive core during this series. William Nylander missed the first three games of the series, meaning the Leafs have not yet played a full playoff game with all of their stars available this season.
Toronto will hope that can change with Matthews' potential return tonight. The Leafs are looking to advance to the next round for the second year in a row after six straight years of disappointing early exits.
The Bruins will meanwhile need to brace for the potential return of Matthews as they hope to avoid repeating last year's upset by the Florida Panthers. A loss Saturday night would make Boston the first team in NHL history to blow a 3-1 series lead in consecutive playoffs, per ESPN's Kristen Shilton.
Bruins on the Brink of Reliving a Nightmare After Game 6 Loss to Maple Leafs
May 3, 2024
TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores a goal against Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins during the third period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
After Game 4 in Toronto, Bruins captain Brad Marchand was adamant about how last season's disappointment in blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Florida Panthers had no bearing on this year's team because, as he said, it's an all-new group and that their only focus was the next day and being ready for that. It was all about living in the moment and doing what's right for right now.
Three days later, the Bruins lost Game 5 to Toronto 2-1 in overtime. Two days after that on Thursday night, the Maple Leafs took Game 6 2-1 to force a Game 7.
History has a way of repeating itself, but watching it unfold like this in back-to-back seasons is the kind of thing that can drive a team mad. Watching the Maple Leafs smother and shut down Marchand and regular-season leading scorer David Pastrňák has the Bruins staring long and hard at another potential early playoff exit.
"Your best players need to be your best players this time of year," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said following Game 6. "I think the effort is tremendous. They need to come through with some big-time plays in big-time moments. Marchand has done that in the series, Pasta needs to step up."
The tactic of calling out, arguably, the team MVP right now might seem like Montgomery is throwing his job on the line. It also could look like a desperate move from a coach hoping to not become the leader of a team to lose a series in back-to-back seasons in which they held a 3-1 advantage.
It's a frightening possibility for the Bruins and one in which the Maple Leafs relish the chance to get the negativity microscope shifted away from them at last.
"I think everyone is frustrated over there," Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bertuzzi said.
Bertuzzi would know what that's all about since he was on that Bruins team. Boston is trying to maintain its focus, knowing full well what it's like to lose a Game 7 on home ice. They've been through it, they know what the pain feels like, and there's no doubt they don't want to go through that again, different group or not.
After coming back from down 3-1 to force a Game 7 this year, the Maple Leafs have gotten some practice at saving their own skin. Only this time on Saturday night, they're dragging the Bruins into the pit with them.
"In my mind, we just played two game sevens," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's an elimination game…it feels like what we've just gone through where every single play matters…For the first time now we'll go into Boston and everything's all the same in terms of both teams facing elimination."
Since Game 4, the Leafs have made life miserable for the Bruins. The Maple Leafs' defense has stiffened up and since they switched to goalie Joseph Woll, Toronto has snuffed out more of Boston's high-quality opportunities. The difference is more than noticeable.
"(Woll) hasn't made mistakes, you know," Keefe said. "Because of that, we've stayed in games. Nothing's gone in that shouldn't have. So, it's given our group confidence, and we need that right now."
The Maple Leafs playing with confidence, speed, and proper tact is something we saw out of Boston in the first four games of this series. Now that the roles have switched, the results are playing out as you'd think they would. The Bruins have had miserable first periods in the past two games and getting off to a bad start is a good way to make the game miserable for yourselves.
"It's unacceptable, our start again," Montgomery said. "We've got to find a way to start on time and we've just got to be better. Toronto, starting on time, they're getting the advantage and getting the momentum. I thought the last 30 minutes we pushed back really well, but it shouldn't take that long."
Coach Jim Montgomery and the Bruins face a do-or-die Game 7.
The Bruins gave the Leafs fits with their forecheck early in the series, but they weren't staring into the abyss in those games. Toronto has and they've used that as motivation. Maple Leafs players said they found their games because they had nothing to lose.
It's a funny way to look at things while being on the brink of being bounced out of the postseason. It's the mentality the Bruins will need to tap into unless they want to be haunted by last year's collapse and do it all over again.
"We're not living in the past, we're not living in the future either," Montgomery said. "We're living in the present. Right now, we're not happy with our game. We're going to get ready for Game 7 starting tomorrow."
The past is brutal for the Bruins and the present is ominous, but the future if they drop Game 7 once again could be downright horrifying.
After all, another blown 3-1 lead could lead to massive changes for a team that's already likely looking at a summer that could see them trade goalie Linus Ullmark and potentially lose forward Jake DeBrusk to free agency. Delaying those hard conversations would be ideal, but Toronto is also trying to delay similar conversations about Keefe's future as well as potentially that of Mitch Marner.
No one wants to have postseason discussions before the season is over, but for one of these teams, playoff pain will linger achingly into the summer and beyond.
Bruins Slammed by NHL Fans for Failing to Close Out Series vs. Maple Leafs in G6 Loss
May 3, 2024
TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: Matthew Knies #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates to the net against Pavel Zacha #18 and Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins during the first period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
For the second straight season, the Boston Bruins have blown a 3-1 first-round series lead.
The Bruins missed their second straight chance to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs as they lost 2-1 in Thursday night's Game 6.
Both teams will now have the chance to advance to the second round with a win Saturday in Boston.
This marks the fourth straight time a series between the Bruins and Leafs has gone to seven games.
Two excellent, gutsy wins in a row by the Maple Leafs. Immense pressure shifts to the Bruins ahead of Game 7 with thoughts of last year. What a series it’s ended up being.
It’s hard to say that ANY team in ANY Game 7 is “playing with house money,” but the Leafs in Game 7 will be playing with house money. MASSIVE MASSIVE pressure on the Bruins given their 2023 collapse.
The Bruins won't be the only team under pressure to win in Game 7.
The Leafs, who have famously suffered six first-round losses in the past seven seasons, will be under similar scrutiny this weekend.
So we either get the Bruins blowing another 3-1 series lead or the Leafs failing in another Game 7. This is an elite schadenfreude scenario for the rest of the league
The puck is set to drop for Game 7 at 8 p.m. in TD Garden.
Auston Matthews out for Maple Leafs' NHL Playoffs G6 vs. Bruins with Injury, Illness
May 2, 2024
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 27: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during the first period against the Boston Bruins in Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 27, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will miss the team's Game 6 matchup against the Boston Bruins as he continues to work through an illness and undisclosed injury.
Matthews previously sat out Toronto's Game 5 win over Boston. The Leafs trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series as Matthews has spent nearly the entire series dealing with the illness.
Matthews skated with the team Wednesday, but there was no update on his status at that time.
"Other players gotta step up, right? Nothing else we can do about it," Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit said. "If he's not in the lineup, we just gotta figure out how to win."
Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals during the regular season and was sixth in points with 107. He's expected to be among the finalists for the Hart Trophy, though the award will almost certainly go to Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon.
Toronto was an underdog coming into the series against Boston, and losing its best player will do nothing to help matters. The Leafs have home-ice advantage Thursday night, so their fingers will be crossed they'll be able to hold off for a Game 7 where Matthews can return.
Bruins Trolled By NHL Fans for Game 5 Loss to Maple Leafs with Auston Matthews Out
May 1, 2024
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 30: Matthew Knies #23 and William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate the overtime win against the Boston Bruins in Game Five of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on April 30, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins had the chance to clinch a spot in the second round in overtime Tuesday night against a Toronto Maple Leafs team missing Auston Matthews.
They lost to Leafs rookie Matthew Knies instead.
Knies scored just over two minutes into overtime Tuesday night to seal a 2-1 overtime and extend the first-round series to six games.
Knies' game-winner came minutes after Bruins forward Charlie Coyle was robbed by Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll on a shot that would have ended the series and sent Boston to the second round.
Charlie Coyle nearly closing out the series for the #Bruins. Toronto scores moments later in 4th period to win game 5 pic.twitter.com/fD7VJcjQsw
— Malcolm Johnson NBC10 Boston (@MalNBCBoston) May 1, 2024
The Bruins will now have to end the series during Game 6 in Toronto, or risk elimination themselves in a potential Game 7 back at home.
Boston's inability to close out in Game 5 reminded fans of the 2023 first round, when the Bruins blew a 3-1 series lead on their way to losing to the Florida Panthers in seven games:
There’s no way the Bruins blow a 3-1 lead with home ice advantage after an overtime goal by a Matthew in TD Garden in Game 5 two years in a row. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way.
Matthews, the NHL's leading goalscorer, was ruled out prior to the game due to what the team said was an illness.
Fans were particularly unimpressed with the Bruins' inability to beat the Leafs without the 2024 Rocket Richard winner. Matthews was instrumental in Toronto's last win over Boston, a 3-2 victory in Game 2 last Monday.
Now Bruins if you couldn’t beat a Matthew-less Leafs. Idk man. Maybe I gassed yall up too much,
If I were a Bruins fan and they just lost a closeout game with the Leafs missing Matthews and their starting goalie now heading back to Toronto, I would be very nervous.
Trent Frederic scored Boston's lone goal of the night, while Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves as the Bruins were outshot 33-28.
The Bruins will get a second chance to close out the series Thursday when Game 6 takes place in Toronto.
Report: Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Likely Out vs. Bruins in G5 With Injury, Illness
Apr 30, 2024
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs sets for a face-off against the Boston Bruins during the second period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 27, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
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.
NHL Fans Troll End of Lightning Dynasty After Panthers Clinch Playoff Series Win
Apr 30, 2024
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - APRIL 29: Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning defends the net against Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers in Game Five of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 29, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Lightning's season is over after losing Game 5 against the Florida Panthers 6-1 on Monday.
After going down 3-0 in the series, the Lightning managed to get a win in Game 4, but they weren't able to rally to force a Game 6 and have now been eliminated from the playoffs.
Tampa Bay had two goals called back in the game, though those goals wouldn't have made much of a difference as the Panthers put four goals on the board in the final period to make it a comfortable win.
With the loss, NHL fans now claim that the Panthers have officially ended the Lightning dynasty.
Steven Stamkos was the last Bolts player to leave the ice...
GOODBYE TO THE ENTIRE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING “DYNASTY” WAR IS FINALLY OVER GOODBYEEEEEE NOBODY WILL MISS YOUR CIRCUMVENTION AND CHEATING GOODBYYEEEEEEEEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/0mR8raZSUd
Watching the Tampa Bay dynasty come to a close in real time is so crazy. Hockey was blessed to see this team, not sure when the league will see it again
The Lightning have had an outstanding run over the last five years with a pair of Stanley Cup titles and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2022, but after a back-to-back first-round exits, it might be time to declare it the end of Tampa Bay's dynasty.
Things looked promising for the Lightning heading into the postseason as they were one of the hottest teams in the NHL, but they couldn't carry that momentum into the postseason as the Panthers handled business.
Now Florida will look to form a dynasty of its own. The Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Finals a year ago and seem poised to make a big run again this year.
Brad Marchand, Bruins Hyped By NHL Fans for Taking 3-1 Series Lead Over Maple Leafs
Apr 28, 2024
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: James van Riemsdyk #21 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with teammates Danton Heinen #43, Trent Frederic #11 and Charlie McAvoy #73 during the first period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 27, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins have once again put the Maple Leafs on the brink of first-round elimination.
After ousting Toronto from the playoffs in the first round in 2018 and 2019, Boston is one game away from repeating the feat after cruising to a 3-1 Game 4 victory Saturday night in Toronto.
The Bruins will now head back to TD Garden with a 3-1 first-round series advantage.
Brad Marchand led his team to the win by scoring the 56th playoff goal of his career on a second-period power play.
Marchand's franchise-record tally marked the sixth power-play goal of the series for Boston.
Special teams have been a different maker for the Bruins, who scored once on three power-play opportunities Saturday and were perfect on three penalty kills.
Toronto meanwhile registered no shots on a power play granted with fewer than five minutes left on the clock.
Special teams has been the biggest difference maker in this series. Bruins now have six power-play goals in four games. 13-of-14 on the penalty kill so far, too.
Leafs stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander appeared visibly frustrated as Toronto fell into a three-goal deficit in the second period:
Leafs players weren't the only ones frustrated by Saturday night's result:
Sitting in the arena with a full view of the ice, it's very clear that the Leafs refuse to properly dump pucks in and forecheck. The Bruins are just hanging in the neutral zone waiting for mistakes because they know the Leafs won't adjust and their special teams are terrible.
After starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov was pulled following the second period, and Joseph Woll took over in net.
Athough the Leafs were missing Matthews, who did not return to the bench for the start of the third period, Marner scored early in the final frame to bring some life to Scotiabank Arena.
The Bruins responded by stifling the Leafs' offense and preventing the comeback from gaining momentum.
What a game Bruins are playing so far tonight. This isn’t about Leafs’ failures. Bruins just better team.
After claiming both games in Toronto, the Bruins are now one win from advancing to the second round for the first time since 2021.
A fourth victory would mark Boston's successful recovery from being upset in the 2023 first round following a record-breaking Presidents' Trophy regular season.
Toronto has appeared in eight straight postseasons in the Matthews era, during which they have earned at least 40 regular-season wins six times.
The team has only advanced past the first round once in 2023, in a run that ended with a five-game second-round loss to the Florida Panthers.
The Leafs now need a Game 5 win in Boston on Tuesday in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Bruins Trolled by NHL Fans as Auston Matthews' GW Goal Leads Maple Leafs to G2 Win
Apr 23, 2024
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 22: Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) drives past Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Joel Edmundson (20) during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 22, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are evened up after Game Two.
The Leafs used a late goal to take the lead in the third period Monday night and beat the Bruins 3-2 in TD Garden.
Boston struck early with a goal in the first period, but Toronto quickly matched to make it 1-1. The even score didn't last long as David Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead late in the first period.
Boston held its lead for much of the second period before the Maple Leafs once again tied things up right before the end of the period on a goal from John Tavares.
In the 12th minute of the third period, Auston Matthews gave Toronto its first lead of the series, which they held onto through the final minutes.
After the loss, fans lamented the Bruins' sluggish third-period performance.
Now, the series will head to Toronto tied and the Maple Leafs looking to take a series lead. The Bruins were dominant in Game One, winning 5-1, and they'll need to make some adjustments to have another performance like that on Wednesday.
If not, Boston could be looking at a deficit to overcome.
Lindy Ruff Hired as Sabres HC; Previously Coached Buffalo From 1997-2013
Apr 22, 2024
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Lindy Ruff of the New Jersey Devils looks on from the bench area during the first period of the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New Jersey Devils at MetLife Stadium on February 17, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Buffalo Sabres have hired Lindy Ruff for a second stint as head coach, the team announced Monday.
Ruff previously coached the Sabres from 1997 to 2013.
Ruff most recently coached the New Jersey Devils, where he was fired in March after leading the Devils to a 30-27-4 record during his fourth season with the team.
He boasts an 864-679-78 regular-season record as head coach, including a 571-432-78 mark in 15 seasons with the Sabres.
The Devils were unable to turn their season around after dismissing Ruff. New Jersey finished the season with a 8-12-1 record and missed the playoffs under interim head coach Travis Green.
The season prior, Ruff had coached the Devils to one of the team's best-ever regular seasons as New Jersey won 52 games for the first time in franchise history.
Ruff's March firing marks the second time in his career he has been dismissed mid-season.
During Ruff's last stint in Buffalo, the Sabres parted ways with their longtime head coach after a 6-10-1 start to the 2012-13 season.
At the time of Ruff's 2013 firing, the Sabres were frustrated with the team's lack of progress in the playoffs. After losing 4-2 to the Dallas Stars in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final, the Sabres never made it back to the Final despite three trips to the third round.
Since then, the Sabres have gone through six coaches without any further playoff progress while setting an NHL record with 13 straight missed postseasons.
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams stressed that the hiring of Ruff, 64, was "not made with nostalgia in mind," according to Jourdon LaBarber of Sabres.com.
Adams instead cited Ruff's experience coaching the Devils, one of the youngest teams in the NHL during his tenure, as a reason he might succeed in leading a Sabres rebuild.
"He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more... Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus," Adams said, per LaBarber.
Prior to his coaching career, Ruff was selected by the Sabres in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. He played 608 games for Buffalo over 10 seasons.
Ruff will be re-introduced to Buffalo during a press conference scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m., LaBarber reported.
