The hits just keep coming for Toronto, and not the good kind.
Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left Tuesday night's game against the Boston Bruins after taking a hit from defenseman Nikita Zadorov during the second period. Matthews headed to the locker room during a TV timeout after getting sent into the boards, and didn't return to the bench.
The 28-year-old center logged just 10:51 of ice time and failed to register a shot before his exit. Toronto trailed 4-1 at the time Matthews left the game.
This marks the second time in recent days that a Leafs player has been knocked out of action by a Zadorov hit. Forward Scott Laughton exited Saturday's game against Boston after taking a shot to the head from the Bruins' physical blueliner.
If Matthews misses extended time, it would be a devastating blow to Toronto's offense. Through 16 games this season, the captain has posted 14 points (nine goals, five assists) with a plus-9 rating. Last season turned into a nightmare scenario for Matthews as he dealt with injury issues throughout the campaign, missing 15 games due to a lingering upper-body ailment.
The injury bug has been relentless for the Leafs lately. Laughton had just returned from a lower-body injury before getting hurt again on Saturday, and there's still no timeline for his return. Chris Tanev also took a head shot from Philadelphia's Matvei Michkov last week.
Toronto is entering its biggest road stretch of the season at a crucial time, and now faces the possibility of navigating that gauntlet without their best player.
More details to come as Matthews' status becomes clear.
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