Maple Leafs giving Auston Matthews ’time that he needs’ to recover from illness

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Auston Matthews’ recovery from illness is taking its sweet time.

The Maple Leafs didn’t practise on Sunday and from the sound of it, their best player probably wouldn’t have been on the ice anyway.

“For whatever reason, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill, everyday type of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “This one has lingered and the effects have lingered and it has gotten worse when he’s getting on the ice and asserting himself.

“We’ve just got to manage that and give him the time that he needs. We’re hopeful that it will turn.”

After missing a morning skate and a practice earlier in the week, Matthews was pulled out of Game 4 on Saturday by the Leafs medical staff after the second period.

Whether Matthews will practise on Monday morning remains to be seen. The Leafs are scheduled to be on the ice at the Ford Performance Centre before they travel to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Matthews has tried to do what he can as he has played through his ailment. Before he departed from Game 4, he was on the ice for 14 minutes 16 seconds, won 11 of his 17 faceoffs and had five shot attempts.

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The lack of energy on his part, however, appeared evident on the Bruins’ third goal by David Pastrnak when Matthews didn’t backcheck from the neutral zone. 

The development in Matthews’ health comes after he played one of his best games in his NHL career in Game 2, taking over the match and leading the Leafs to their only victory in the first four games.

Somehow, the Leafs need to get that version of Matthews or something close to it in Game 5.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun