Watching the past few games, it's easy to see that Matthews hasn't been at 100%, and it culminated last night, when the medical unit had to remove him from the game.
The coach made this massive revelation in his press conference, following yet another tough loss for the Leafs.
Many people thought that with the extra day to prepare between game 3 and 4, Matthews would have time to recover, but unfortunately, that's not what happened.
The Bruins had it easy; without Matthews, the Leafs' offensive depth take a solid hit. However, they managed to capitalize, and things ended up turning their way.
If Matthews had been healthy, the series probably wouldn't be where it is now. A 3-1 deficit isn't what the Leafs wanted. Their bad fortune in the first round is still there, despite finally reaching the second round last year against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Leafs will face elimination on Tuesday, in Boston, and they'll hope to see the Bruins crash like they did last year against the Florida Panthers.
POLL | ||
28 AVRIL | 1899 ANSWERS Keefe says Matthews was pulled by the doctor due to his illness Do you think the Leafs would lead the series if Auston Matthews had been healthy? | ||
Yes | 628 | 33.1 % |
No | 1271 | 66.9 % |
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