Mar 2, 2021
Matthews full participant at Leafs practice
Auston Matthews was back in the middle of his familiar line on Tuesday. The Toronto Maple Leafs centre was back as a full participant at practice - in between Joe Thornton and Mitch Marner - after having missed the last two games with a wrist injury.
TSN.ca Staff
Auston Matthews was back in the middle of his familiar line on Tuesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs centre was back as a full participant at practice - in between Joe Thornton and Mitch Marner - after having missed the last two games with a wrist injury.
The Leafs are set to finish up a three-game set at Rogers Arena against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night with Matthews, the league's leading goal scorer with 18, appearing primed for a return to action. Matthews incurred his injury during last Wednesday's 2-1 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames.
The team was without one regular on Tuesday, though, with William Nylander absent. The 24-year-old Nylander has four goals and five points in his last three games.
#Leafs lines at practice:
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) March 2, 2021
Thornton-Matthews-Marner
Petan*-Tavares-Kerfoot
Hyman-Engvall-Mikheyev
Vesey-Boyd-Spezza
Agostino-Barabanov
*in grey; Nylander placeholder?
Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Dermott-Bogosian
Liljegren-Lehtonen
Hutchinson
Andersen
Woll
Nic Petan, in a grey jersey, skated on a line with John Tavares and Alex Kerfoot, potentially as a fill-in for Nylander.
Jack Campbell has emerged and appears to be waiting on the bench now. Perhaps getting some work in after practice concludes. pic.twitter.com/KpkiOdbomT
— David Alter (@dalter) March 2, 2021
Goaltender Jack Campbell, who didn't dress in Monday night's 3-0 win over the Oilers, also missed practice, but came out following the main session.
After missing 10 games with a lower-body injury, Campbell returned to action on Saturday night in a 30-save, 4-0 shutout of the Oilers.
Winners of three straight and seven of their last 10, the Leafs hold an eight-point lead over the Oilers atop the North Division standings with the NHL's best record on 36 points.