Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews didn't suit up for his team's 2-1 Game 6 victory against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, marking his second consecutive game out of the lineup.

Matthews missed the third period of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to an illness. He's also dealing with an apparent injury he suffered on an innocuous hit in the series, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston, whose sources added that it would be "reckless" for Matthews to try to play through the ailment.

It's uncertain if Matthews can play in Game 7, though one source told Johnston it's unlikely.

The Maple Leafs prevailed in Game 5 without Matthews to keep their season alive courtesy of Matthew Knies' overtime winner. In Game 6, William Nylander scored twice while Joseph Woll made 22 saves.

Matthews won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in four years this past season by pacing the NHL with 69 goals. He carried the Leafs to victory in Game 2 with a three-point effort - including the game-winner - but has otherwise been held off the scoresheet in the playoffs.

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Connor Hellebuyck believes the boxscore doesn't tell the whole story.

The Winnipeg Jets goalie doesn't think his play was the reason his team lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In fact, he claims he was locked in.

"You're probably not going to believe when I say I was playing the best hockey of my career, but that's truly how I was feeling," Hellebuyck said Thursday. "Not only was I playing some of my best hockey, but I was in that zone where you're not thinking, you're just playing. That's what you seek after. That's a dangerous thing in sports. To not be able to keep four goals off the board, it's heartbreaking."

Hellebuyck allowed at least four goals in each contest and failed to post a save percentage better than .872 in any single game. For the series, he registered an .864 save percentage and a 5.23 goals-against average.

However, Hellebuyck also faced the most shots, made the most saves, and allowed the most goals of any netminder in the postseason. His minus-6.47 goals saved above expected represents the worst of any goalie in the playoffs, per Evolving-Hockey.

The 30-year-old credited the Avalanche for taking away his eyes via net-front screens.

"You gotta give them some kudos for what they did, but looking back, I don't know if I even saw half the pucks go in the net," he said. "They did a great job, but for me to not be able to put my foot down on a single game is really heartbreaking because it's not typically how I do things."

Hellebuyck is a heavy favorite to win his second career Vezina Trophy after posting a .921 save percentage, a 2.39 goals-against average, and an NHL-best 39.35 goals saved above expected in 60 regular-season games.

Jets captain Adam Lowry believes the team didn't play well enough defensively.

"We gave up so many Grade-A (chances)," Lowry said. "Hearing (Hellebuyck) say what he did, there's not really much he can do."

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A night of sleep didn't stop Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery from being upset over his team's 2-1 overtime loss in Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

"I'm still pissed off from last night, to be honest," Montgomery told reporters Wednesday, per WBZ's Dan Roche. "I don't understand or accept our play from last night ... So I'm gonna be pissed off until puck drop tomorrow night."

The Maple Leafs came out of the gate with their hair on fire, controlling 76.4% of the expected goals while outshooting the Bruins 11-2 in the first period. Boston played much better in the second and third periods before Matthew Knies ended it 2:26 into the extra frame.

"Our crowd is unbelievable, so you'd think that would get us off to a great start, but it didn't," Montgomery said.

Montgomery made a pair of polarizing lineup changes before Game 5, swapping out John Beecher and Kevin Shattenkirk for Justin Brazeau and Matt Grzelcyk. The coach wouldn't confirm any changes for Thursday's Game 6.

The Bruins, who now hold a 3-2 series lead, had a chance to close out the Leafs on Tuesday but will now head back to Toronto for Game 6. Boston won Games 3 and 4 at Scotiabank Arena, and Montgomery said playing on the road has its advantages in the postseason.

"It's so much easier to eliminate outside noise when you're on the road," the reigning Jack Adams Award winner said. "These guys are watching other playoff games together, they're going for meals together, we have team meals together, so it's a little easier to stay dialed in. And you're talking hockey a lot."

The Bruins led the Florida Panthers 3-1 in Round 1 a year ago before losing three straight games to be eliminated.

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Rod Brind'Amour has enjoyed immense success as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, but as his team prepares for its Round 2 matchup against the New York Rangers, questions swirl around his future with the franchise.

A contract extension for Brind'Amour, the 2021 Jack Adams Award winner, has yet to be finalized as he completes the final year of his existing deal.

"Confidants say he has become unsure about his future in Carolina, according to sources familiar with those conversations," reports The News & Observer's Luke DeCock.

An extension once seemed close, but it's believed the offer has been pulled, reports TSN's Darren Dreger, adding that Brind'Amour wants to stay in Carolina.

However, team owner Tom Dundon said an extension is nearing the finish line.

"I think it's all but done," Dundon told DeCock. "(General manager) Don (Waddell) and him are working on it. I don't think there's anything there. We're in the playoffs, and they haven't focused on it. They're doing it together. I said OK to almost everything they've asked me for. They're just getting through the last little stuff."

Waddell declined to comment to DeCock, while Brind'Amour told the reporter via text message that it's "in Tom's hands."

Waddell later added that he's "very confident" a deal will get done. "Rod wants to be a Hurricane for life," the GM said, per Chip Alexander of The News & Observer. "There will be a solution here quickly, I feel."

Brind'Amour would be highly sought-after if he decided to test the open market this offseason. He's led the Hurricanes to at least one playoff series victory in each of his six seasons at the helm, making the conference finals in 2019 and 2023.

The 53-year-old has spent the last 24 seasons with the Hurricanes organization. He played in Carolina for 10 years from 2000-10, captaining the franchise to its lone Stanley Cup in 2006. Immediately after retiring, he became the director of player development before moving to an assistant coach role in 2011 and taking the head coach job in 2018.

There are currently seven NHL teams without a permanent head coach: the St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken. Brind'Amour has ties of varying degrees to three of those clubs. He notably started his playing career with the Blues, was born in Ottawa, and was teammates and colleagues with Kraken GM Ron Francis.

Whenever Carolina's offseason gets underway, it stands to be busy. The team has several notable pending unrestricted free agents, including Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel, Jordan Martinook, Brady Skjei, and Brett Pesce.

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The New York Rangers are the first team to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after defeating the Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 4 on Sunday to complete the sweep.

More to come.

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The Colorado Avalanche are one win away from Round 2 after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 in Sunday's Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.

Valeri Nichushkin capped off a hat trick with an empty-netter to seal the victory.

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Artturi Lehkonen each recorded multi-point efforts.

Alexandar Georgiev continued his stellar form since a disastrous Game 1, stopping 25 of 26 shots in the win. His counterpart, Vezina Trophy-favorite Connor Hellebuyck, was chased from the contest after allowing four goals on 30 shots through two periods.

Colorado lost 7-6 in Game 1 but have outscored Winnipeg 16-5 in three straight victories.

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Toronto Maple Leafs team doctors pulled Auston Matthews from Game 4 during the second intermission because of an illness, head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame.

Matthews played the first 40 minutes of the contest but didn't return for the start of the final frame. The Maple Leafs trailed the Boston Bruins 3-0 after two periods and ultimately lost the game 3-1, falling behind 3-1 in the series.

The 26-year-old played through the illness in Game 3 and missed Friday's practice.

"It's not one of those run-of-the-mill everyday type of illnesses that come and go," Keefe said Sunday, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. "This one has lingered. The effects have lingered and gotten worse when he gets on the ice and is asserting himself."

Matthews produced a dominant three-point effort in Toronto's Game 2 win but has otherwise been held off the scoresheet in Round 1.

Matthews won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the third time in four years this past season, leading the league with 69 goals.

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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was complimentary of Brad Marchand's knack for dodging the laws of hockey after the Boston Bruins' 4-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday.

"He gets calls. It's unbelievable, actually, how it goes," Keefe said postgame. "We gotta play through that stuff. I don't think there's another player in this series that gets away with taking out Bertuzzi's legs the way that he does. ... It's an art, and he's elite at it."

Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi went at it on multiple occasions, including an instance in which the Bruins captain wasn't penalized for taking down his opponent behind the play right before Trent Frederic's second-period goal.

"He's a world-class player, both in ability and in how he plays," Keefe added. "The gamesmanship and everything, it's world-class."

Special teams proved to be the difference in the game. Toronto had five power-play opportunities in the contest but didn't score, while Boston went two-for-three with the man advantage.

Marchand was a force, recording two goals and an assist in the matchup. He was on the ice for a game-high 95.3% of the expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

All three of Marchand's points came in the third period. His first goal was a perfect top-corner snipe that gave the Bruins the lead 28 seconds after the Maple Leafs tied it up. It stood as the game-winner.

"I can't say enough about the leadership by our captain tonight," Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said postgame.

Marchand etched his name into the Bruins' record books in the process, passing Hall of Famer Cam Neely on the franchise's postseason game-winning goals list. He also tied Neely - Boston's current team president - for the club record for playoff goals.

Marchand has registered 134 points in his postseason career, the second most in Bruins history and 27 back of Ray Bourque.

Boston holds a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 goes on Saturday.

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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was complimentary of Brad Marchand's knack for dodging the laws of hockey after the Boston Bruins' 4-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday.

"He gets calls. It's unbelievable, actually, how it goes," Keefe said postgame, per TSN. "We gotta play through that stuff. I don't think there's another player in this series that gets away with taking out Bertuzzi's legs the way that he does. ... It's an art, and he's elite at it."

Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi went at it on multiple occasions, including an instance in which the Bruins captain wasn't penalized for taking down his opponent behind the play right before Trent Frederic's second-period goal.

Special teams proved to be the difference in the game. Toronto had five power-play opportunities in the contest but didn't score, while Boston went two-for-three with the man advantage.

Marchand was a force, recording two goals and an assist in the matchup. He was on the ice for a game-high 95.3% of the expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

All three of Marchand's points came in the third period. His first goal was a perfect top-corner snipe that gave the Bruins the lead 28 seconds after the Maple Leafs tied it up. It stood as the game-winner.

Marchand etched his name into the Bruins' record books in the process, passing Hall of Famer Cam Neely on the franchise's postseason game-winning goals list. He also tied Neely - Boston's current team president - for the club record for playoff goals.

Marchand has registered 134 points in his postseason career, the second most in Bruins history and 27 back of Ray Bourque.

Boston holds a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 goes on Saturday.

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Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe scored his fifth career playoff overtime winner Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving the defending Eastern Conference champions a 2-0 series lead.

Verhaeghe is now tied for third on the all-time playoff OT goals list, behind only Hall of Famers Joe Sakic and Maurice Richard.

"To be in the conversation with those guys is pretty crazy," Verhaeghe said postgame. "That's all I can say. Just shocked."

Verhaeghe played the hero in OT twice in Round 1 against the Washington Capitals in 2022, then twice during Florida's run to the Stanley Cup Final last year.

"He's got the clutch gene," teammate Aaron Ekblad said. "He was born with it, man."

A 2020 Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning, Verhaeghe joined the in-state rivals as a free agent the following offseason. The 28-year-old's now registered 37 points in 47 career postseason contests.

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