'Everybody’s grinding': Matthews takes optional, ready for Game 5
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to be at full strength for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Ottawa Senators.
After taking the past two days off, captain Auston Matthews was on the ice for the team's optional gameday skate, taking part in a skills session along with Max Domi under the guidance of player development coach Patrick O'Sullivan.
“Everybody’s grinding," Matthews said Tuesday of taking the additional rest day. "I just listen to the body, and sometimes you just feel like you need a little bit of a rest or time off the ice. I think it’s not a big deal."
The 27-year-old centre has one goal and four assists through the first four games of the team's first-round series. He posted an assist in 26:23 of ice time in Saturday's overtime loss in Game 4 as Toronto missed the chance to sweep the Senators.
Now up 3-1 in the series, the Maple Leafs will have another chance to close out the Senators on Tuesday, this time on home ice.
"The fourth one's the hardest to win," Matthews said. "I thought we played a good game the other night, battled our way back, forced overtime, had our opportunities in overtime, and it didn't go in. But I think for us, the approach is the same.
"We want to be a desperate hockey team."
Matthews scored 33 goals with 78 points in 67 regular season games in 2024-25 as the Maple Leafs won the Atlantic Division for the first time in franchise history.
Same lineup for Game 5
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube will not be making any tweaks to his lineup for Game 5.
Nick Robertson will remain a notable scratch for the Maple Leafs. He has not played since taking a high-sticking penalty away from the puck in Game 2.
Stolarz set to start
Anthony Stolarz worked in the starter's net during Tuesday's skate as he is set to make his fifth straight start in the playoffs.
The 31-year-old netminder is coming off his worst game of the series, having allowed four goals on 21 shots on Saturday. He has a .902 save percentage with a 2.29 goals-against average through four games this postseason.
Goaltender Joseph Woll is also on the ice this morning after missing Monday's skate due to illness.
Woll has yet to appear in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. During the regular season, the 26-year-old posted a 27-14-1 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
With the AHL's Marlies season finished, goaltender Dennis Hildeby has joined the Maple Leafs and was also on the ice. He is set to serve as the team's third option moving forward.
Senators rest ahead of Game 5
With their season on the line Tuesday night, the Senators elected against holding a gameday session in the morning.
The Senators have kept an optimistic tone since falling behind 3-0 in the series.
“The last game was probably our best of the series,” winger Nick Cousins said Monday. “In saying that, we still have another gear to get to.
“There is no (better) place to do it than on the road with our backs against the wall. We’re going to see our best tomorrow night. We can’t win the series tomorrow; our main focus is to go there and win one game. They’re going to have their crowd behind them with lots of energy.
“I think we can win one game, may take it period-by-period, and not get too far ahead of ourselves. Maybe win one game and try to bring them back to Ottawa.”