First visit of hot Boston Bruins will be challenge for inconsistent Maple Leafs

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It’s just an early November meeting between the Bruins and Maple Leafs, but this matchup never lacks drama.

In their second regular-season meeting of 2024-25, the Leafs — which lost in overtime in Boston 10 days ago — will be without Auston Matthews.

Meanwhile, a few of his mates are in points slumps, there’s the William Nylander-David Pastrnak dynamic and the Bruins own wild swings during their slow start while now riding back-to-back shutout wins coming into Tuesday.

After Matthews was declared out with an upper body injury which coach Craig Berube described as a day-to-day condition, Max Domi will be plugged into the prime role between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies.

Domi has no goals through the first 13 games and the most recent of his of six assists came on Oct. 21.

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It’s not the first time he has been promoted and there have been mixed results, but Domi said “it doesn’t matter what’s in the past, it’s a big test tonight.

“They’re a good team (that defeated Toronto in a seven-game series again last spring), you have to tip your cap to them. They’re always ready to play against us and we have to match their intensity.”

Berube didn’t want to heap any more pressure on Domi as first-line centre.

“He’s been around a long time and he’s the kind of player who relishes that type of.thing,” Berube said. “He understands what his job is tonight.”

The Leafs are hoping history repeats itself as any Auston absence has seen them close ranks and put together a record of 35-19-2 without the Rocket Richard Trophy winner, including playoffs.

The trickle-down effect of Matthews missing the game will see Pontus Holmberg centre a third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson, all of them needing to pop a goal or two to take some pressure off elsewhere, notably the Leafs’ sputtering power play.

Domi might see time in Matthews’ spot on the PP unit after Berube opted for five forwards in Minnesota on Sunday and Nylander scored to end the group’s prolonged skid.

Anthony Stolarz will get the start in net again for Toronto after Boston captain Brad Marchand overcame his slow start to bury the OT winner — his first goal of the year — on a Matthews fumble during the team’s previous meeting.

With the exception of the 9-3-1 Florida Panthers, the Atlantic Division has been chaotic through the first month of the NHL schedule, with seven clubs entering Tuesday separated by just five points.

“You don’t get any teams that are easy outs, easy wins,” Berube said with games against Detroit and Montreal later this week. “It’s a battle every night. We have to take that same approach.

“(But) there’s not too much to read into it right now. (The division) is all bottled up.”

Joonis Korpisalo and Jeremy Swayman each had a shutout for the B’s over Philadelphia (3-0) and Seattle (2-0), respectively, after Carolina had hammered them 8-2. Berube expects there’ll be no let-up from the visitors.

“The personnel has changed, but their culture really hasn’t,” Berube said. “How they play the game and what they value … that hasn’t changed. They have solid goaltending a big defence corps, their forwards are responsible defensively. You have to earn what you get against them.”

Newly-signed Bruin forward Tyler Johnson is slated to play Tuesday. Pastrnak and childhood friend Nylander have exchanged chirps – and recently high sticks – through the years. Pastrnak was benched in the third period of Seattle game by coach Jim Montgomery after a turnover. Montgomery has also had it out with Marchand once this season in the heat of a game, but in both cases, the player took responsibility.

lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby