NHL Postseason: Matthews Out for Game 6 as Leafs Face Elimination on Home Ice

Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

Auston Matthews will be absent from the Toronto lineup for the crucial sixth game in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against Boston, set for Thursday. The Maple Leafs are currently behind in the series, 3-2, and will be knocked out if they lose again.

Matthews sat out the final period of Game 4 and the entirety of Game 5 due to an ongoing illness. Nonetheless, without Matthews, Toronto managed to claim a 2-1 victory over Boston in overtime during Game 5 and aims to replicate this winning formula in Game 6.

In Game 5, Max Domi stepped into Matthews' role as the top-line center and excelled in faceoffs alongside providing an assist. He also assumed role in the team's leading power-play unit.

Before sitting out, Matthews, the season's Rocket Richard Trophy recipient for scoring 69 goals, delivered an extraordinary three-point performance in Game 2.

The Maple Leafs are facing a tough challenge without Matthews, yet their ability to adapt and apply a team-wide approach has been evident.

So far, Toronto hasn't secured a win at home during this playoff series, suffering six straight home game losses in the postseason. They're looking to overturn this trend in hopes of taking the series back to Boston for a climactic Game 7.

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