Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews suffered a lower-body injury in the second period of their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. The injury occurred after a knee-on-knee collision with Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. Gudas received a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct.
Matthews was attempting to evade a hit from Gudas when the collision occurred in the slot. He remained on the ice for several minutes before being helped off by a trainer and teammate, putting minimal weight on his left leg. The team announced early in the third period that Matthews would not return and that he would be re-evaluated on Friday. Before the injury, Matthews scored a power-play goal, ending a 12-game drought. He has 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games this season.
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube called the play "dirty" and expects the league to review it for possible suspension. Gudas has been suspended three times in his career. Some observers are drawing comparisons to a previous incident where Gudas injured Sidney Crosby in the Olympics.
The Maple Leafs ultimately defeated the Ducks 6-4, snapping an eight-game losing streak. John Tavares scored on the power play resulting from the penalty. However, the victory was overshadowed by the uncertainty surrounding Matthews' injury and potential absence from the lineup.
