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The Toronto Maple Leafs will be back to work in the first round of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs this coming Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators at home for Game 5.
It's a game that wouldn't have been needed had Auston Matthews and company finished the job last Saturday in Ottawa, as the Sens won Game 4 via a thrilling overtime to the tune of a 4-3 score.
Meanwhile, Matthews reportedly did not practice with the Maple Leafs Monday morning, which could prompt concern among the team's supporters. However, Matthews is simply taking time off to rest his body, as noted by Luke Fox of Sportsnet.
“Auston Matthews is taking practice off to rest today, per Leafs,” Fox shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Matthews played his most minutes on the ice so far in the Senators series in Game 4, logging 26:23 of playing time. However, it was also the first time he failed to record a point in a game this series. He had a goal and three assists for four points in the first three games of the first round.
Perhaps having some extra rest by skipping practice will produce the desired result for Auston Matthews, who scored 33 goals and racked up 45 assists through a total of 67 games during the 2024-25 NHL regular season.
Despite the loss to the Senators and the failed attempt to sweep Brady Tkachuk and company, the Maple Leafs are still in a great position to advance to the next round.
Interestingly enough, Game 4 was just the first time that the Maple Leafs outshot the Senators in the series, but Toronto still suffered a loss. So far in this first-round matchup, the Maple Leafs only have a 5-on-5 41.6 Corsi for percentage.
A win on Tuesday for Toronto will set them up for a second-round date with the winner of the series between the Tampa Bay Lighting and reigning Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers.
