(Toronto) Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has been sidelined with a “lingering illness” as his team faces elimination from the current playoffs.
Approximately 14 hours after watching his team lose 3-1 at home in Game 4 of the series against the Boston Bruins, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe provided an update on the state of health of his star player, Sunday afternoon.
Keefe said Matthews is impaired by more than a “regular illness,” adding that the symptoms worsen when the 26-year-old takes to the ice.
Matthews has scored 69 goals this season. He scored the winning goal in the second game of the series, in Boston, to tie it at 1-1.
Matthews, however, was clearly not at his best in the 4-2 loss in Game 3. He was then withdrawn from the fourth duel on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs lost to the Bruins in seven games in the 2013, 2018 and 2019 playoffs.
The Bruins could eliminate their rivals in five games at home on Tuesday. If the Maple Leafs win, Game 6 will be played in Toronto on Thursday.