The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't beaten the Boston Bruins in a game of hockey in over a year, and they could have to try again without their No. 2 scorer on Monday night. William Nylander, who missed Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, was on the ice for morning skate but stayed out with the scratches and is expected to miss his second straight game.
“We'll see how he feels here the rest of the day here and make a decision,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the morning skate, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston.
Technically, Nylander is a game-time decision for Monday's tilt, but the fact he stayed out late with the scratches is not an encouraging sign.
“William Nylander staying out late with other projected scratches,” reported TSN's Mark Masters. “All signs point to him missing Game 2.”
It's a brutal update for a Leafs team that was only able to put one goal past Jeremy Swayman in a dismal 5-1 Game 1 defeat on Saturday. The Bruins were the better team for most of the contest, capitalizing on an eye-opening five man advantages and beating their Atlantic Division rivals for a fifth time this year.
Although Nylander hasn't officially been ruled out for Game 2, the fact he wasn't taking line rushes — nor lining up on either powerplay unit — is a pretty good sign he'll again be watching from the press box at TD Garden.
And if the 98-point Swede is unable to suit up, the spotlight will train even harder on Auston Matthews, who needs to be a superstar if this club hopes to even the series heading back to Toronto.
Leafs will need Auston Matthews heroics if William Nylander can't go
After coming just a single goal shy of 70 in 2023-24, the Rocket Richard Trophy winner needs to find the back of the net for the Leafs in Game 2. Matthews had a few great chances in Game 1, including hitting the post after beating Swayman, but was unable to score.
Matthews recorded four points over four regular-season tilts against the Bruins — three of them goals. But despite throwing five shots Swayman's way, he was unable to beat in a locked in netminder in the opener.
Without Nylander, even more pressure is put on Matthews — along with Mitch Marner and John Tavares — to produce offensively. That didn't happen in Game 1, and if history repeats itself on Monday night, Toronto will be heading home down 2-0 to a team they haven't beat in the postseason since 1959.
Throughout all five games between Boston and Toronto in 2023-24, the Leafs have not led once. Not for a single second. The Bruins just have their number in every sense of the word, and there has to be some concern in the dressing room, especially if Nylander is unable to go.
The Swede suiting up would be a massive boost for this club, but the other guys making the big bucks need to come through — and there's no better time than now.
Puck drop between the two Atlantic Division rivals is set for just past 7 p.m. ET in Massachusetts.
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