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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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The Maple Leafs (optional) and Philadelphia Flyers skated at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

Auston Matthews skated for about 40 minutes on Tuesday morning and looked good. The 24-year-old centre felt good too, but Matthews will still sit out a second straight game. 

"They think, despite the fact he's feeling really good, that a little more time would benefit him even more so that's what we'll give him," said coach Sheldon Keefe. "We're not just resting Auston. I mean, he's got an injury that maybe he could play through, but that doesn't make sense."

Per Keefe, Matthews picked up the injury during Saturday's game in Ottawa. Like on Sunday night following the win over Ottawa, Keefe declined to say if it was an upper or lower body issue.

So, Matthews will remain stuck on 58 goals, which is four ahead of Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl in the Rocket Richard Trophy race. 

"We're looking bigger picture here," Keefe said. "We got team accomplishments, individual accomplishments, all those kind of things in the regular season, and we're mindful of them, they are important in their own way, but the ultimate goal is for us to be ready to compete come playoff time. That's what it's all about."

Matthews also sat out the first three games of the year while recovering from off-season wrist surgery and also missed a pair of games in March due to a suspension. The Leafs have won five of six games without their leading scorer this season. 

"It shows the depth we have as a team and our ability to respond and accept that challenge," said captain John Tavares, who takes over as the No. 1 centre. "When you're missing someone like Papi with the season he's having, I think we know you're not replacing that and expecting to fill those shoes with one guy or even two guys."

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For the first time all season, the Leafs followed a day off with an optional skate. 

"This is as busy a stretch as you're going to get in the NHL," Keefe explained. 

Toronto is in the middle of a run that will see them play nine times in 15 days. This week, in particular, is challenging with four games in four different cities over the next six nights. 

Fourteen guys who will suit up against the Flyers still took the ice on Tuesday morning, including starting goalie Jack Campbell, who has won all five starts since returning from a rib injury in Philadelphia on April 2.  

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Keefe refused to divulge his lineup plan, but the coach confirmed that William Nylander, Alex Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall will remain together after a strong debut on Sunday. Nylander and Kerfoot played well together during last year's series against the Montreal Canadiens. 

"Last season, in the playoffs, that was a very productive group for us with [Alex] Galchenyuk on the left side," Keefe pointed out. "Now it's Engvall playing on that line. So, want to see if something can spark there and then you have three lines that can really score and be really confident. It's something I've looked to do for a while."

Engvall scored his 14th goal of the season on Sunday by converting a nice pass from Kerfoot on a two-on-one rush. After being a fourth liner most of his NHL career, the 25-year-old has emerged as a key contributor in Toronto's top-nine group. Nylander and Engvall shared a nice moment during the road trip to Ottawa over the weekend. 

"We were at dinner and I said, 'It's just so nice to see the way you've grown as a player and the way you've excelled this year,'" Nylander revealed. "Obviously, being a Swede you want to take care of the Swedes around you and I've been proud to see the way he's grown."

Engvall is averaging 13 minutes of ice time a game, which is up from 11:56 last season. 

"He's just found a real groove with his role and been really stable and consistent with where he's been in the lineup," said Tavares, who believes the 6-foot-5 winger is doing a better job influencing play with his physicality. "I just think he's having a better understanding of how he can impact the game with his tools. He's so fast and so strong and it's just understanding how to use that." 

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Nylander also scored on Sunday, which gives him 31 goals and matches his previous career high, which was achieved during the 2019-20 season.  

"I didn't know that," the 25-year-old winger admitted with a laugh. "I thought I had more goals. But, yeah, that's good to know ... It's my job, scoring goals, so hopefully I can score some more."

Nylander thought he was already at 34 goals. He'll likely reach that mark sooner than later if he keeps playing like he is. Nylander has hit the scoresheet in nine of his last 10 games. 

What is Mitch Marner noticing? 

"Just competitiveness on pucks," Marner said, "being hungry, being hungry around that net. When he brings it, he's one of the best players in the NHL. So, it's a treat to watch."

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The Leafs have started taping pictures of the officials – linesmen and referees – with their names and numbers on the inside of the bench during games.  

"Obviously it's a very emotional game," Tavares said. "At times it can get heated and just knowing somebody's name, it's amazing what it can do to just gain that level of respect and trust and communication with the officials, which is really important. They really strive to do that as well with knowing player names so we're just trying to have that communication and that comfort level going back towards them as well." 

Tavares revealed that the Leafs started doing this a few weeks ago. He credited veteran Jason Spezza for driving the idea. There is one picture at each end of the bench so the forwards and defencemen have easy access to the information. 

"At this point, most of the guys that have been around a while kind of know them already by name," said defenceman Justin Holl with a smile, "but it's good to have that just to make sure you're totally sure." 

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The Flyers arrive in Toronto having lost five straight games. Philadelphia has the worst record (10-30-5) in the NHL since the calendar flipped to 2022. 

"We have six games left," said forward Scott Laughton. "We got a lot of young kids here and you have to try and set the right example and the right message so no better place to do it than tonight in Toronto."

There was an extra buzz around the Flyers room this morning. This is Philadelphia's first regular season game in Toronto since Nov. 9, 2019. 

"I'm excited for tonight, coming home and playing in front of family and friends," said Laughton, a native of Oakville, Ont. "We have to have a good showing ... I was lucky to go home and see my grandparents who I haven't seen in seven or eight months. That was the highlight of my year, for sure, to see my papa and grammie and everyone like that. They've supported me and I'm excited for them to be able to watch tonight."

Martin Jones gets the start for the Flyers.

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Jake Muzzin will miss a third straight game with an undisclosed injury. He did skate on Tuesday morning and will travel with the team on the upcoming road trip, which includes games Thursday in Tampa, Saturday in Sunrise, Fla. and Sunday in Washington.

Rasmus Sandin, who hurt his knee one month ago, took part in Toronto's optional skate, but the defenceman will not make the trip south. 

"He's going to continue to push," said Keefe. "We're working towards what we hope is the possibility of him being available next week."

The Leafs wrap up the regular season with games next week against Detroit (April 26) and Boston (April 29). 

Ondrej Kase skated in a red no-contact sweater on Tuesday. It was the first time we've seen the winger on the ice with teammates since he sustained a concussion on March 19. 

"It's positive that he's continuing to feel good," Keefe noted. "He's been on the ice consistently the last four, five days without any setbacks and is feeling good. Obviously, we'll be travelling on the road and there won't a lot of practice time so his road to getting back to full speed is a little more challenging based on the schedule."

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Flyers lines at Tuesday's morning skate: 

Cates - Hayes - Konecny
van Riemsdyk - Laughton - Brink|
Farabee - Frost - Tippett
Lindblom - Thompson - MacEwen

Provorov - Sanheim
Zamula - Connauton
Yandle - Attard

Jones starts