Major Toronto Maple Leafs Update as Matthews Leaves After Five-Minute Skate

Will Auston Matthews Be a Difference Maker in Game Five Leafs and Bruins

Auston Matthews goal-scoring greatness is hard to quantify but we will go with simple is better. It’s hard to believe that the man who’s chasing the all-time goal-scoring record, Alex Ovechkin, only hit 60 once. However, Auston Matthews flexes his strength when you compare shooting percentages, Matthews is at 16.2 while Ovechkin 12.9 for their careers. Also, let’s not forget some shortened seasons Matthews endured that hurt his top line, but not his GPG numbers. Through Matthews’ eight-year NHL career thus far, if you averaged it out over an 82-game schedule he would have 54 goals and 41 assists. Meanwhile, Ovechkin could only muster up 49 goals and 39 assists. The point we are getting at for the series against the Bruins is to use your strengths. 

How the Leafs Take down the Bruins in Bean-Town

If Auston Matthews is shooting, then he is scoring, and that increases the Leafs likelihood of coming back to win three in a row. The Bruins are beatable, but you need to attack their weaknesses, and that is high-end skill. Yes, they do have that too, with David Pastrnak or Jeremy Swayman. In contrast, if you put one-to-one matches with a lot of each team’s top-ten players, the Leafs get the check box. So, use it. 

One strategy to apply is to load up your top lines. Probably not early in periods, but through those long stretches mid-way through the first and second periods, run two, maybe three lines, and don’t let up. This is the strategy to beat the Bruins, and with William Nylander missing games, and now possibly Matthews as well, it is no wonder the Leafs have struggled to generate offence, in particular against Swayman.

What About in Net

In any sense, these are the big storylines as the Bruins lead 3-1. Will Joseph Woll get the call in net for the Leafs for game five? Additionally, will Matthews draw in, and if so, will he be utilized to optimize his performance? Stay tuned, because it could be a long summer for the players at the range finding their game, and a short one for their head coach, who could very well be looking for something to do.