Kevin Bieksa speculates major Matthew Knies injury blow to Maple Leafs in do-or-die Game 6

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies left Game 6 toward the end of the first period following a hit on Florida Panthers blue liner Niko Mikkola.

During the first-period intermission, Sportsnet analyst and former NHLer Kevin Bieksa speculated about what could have happened to Matthew Knies during the play, stating:

“It’s one of those awkward collisions in which Mikkola braces for contact. And I don’t think Knies really wants to hit him from behind so he lets off.”

Bieksa then pointed out what could have been the area that affected Knies:

“He’s going to kind of grab his right kind of side of his leg, his butt there. And, he goes off and the camera was on him for a while.”

Indeed, the replay showed Knies grimacing on the bench as he seemed to be fighting through pain. Bieksa added this interesting insight:

“So, this is what’s kind of concerning for me: Usually the pain subsides over a minute, two minutes when you come off from those types of hits. He couldn’t shake this off.”

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It remains to be seen if Knies did not sustain an long-term injury as losing him at such a crucial moment could result in a devastating outcome for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Matthew Knies and Toronto Maple Leafs force Game 7 with shutout win

Matthew Knies returned to the game and played over 13 minutes across 20 shifts - Source: Imagn

Matthew Knies and the Toronto Maple Leafs played a gutsy Game 6, earning a 2-0 shutout to force a Game 7 on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena.

Knies returned to the lineup for the second period, and ended up playing 13 minutes across 20 shifts on the night. He got one shot on goal but was instrumental in Auston Matthews’ game-winning goal.

Here’s a look:

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Knies’ forechecking forced Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling to rush the puck out of the zone, instead, Forsling created a turnover that Mitch Marner utilized to set up Matthews for the goal.

Max Pacioretty added another at the 14-minute mark to ice the win for the Maple Leafs. Pacioretty scored his third of the postseason on a 2-on-1 following a cross-ice feed from Bobby McMann.

The Leafs will now head back home for Game 7 with their entire season on the line. Toronto has the momentum heading into Game 7, with Matthew Knies hopefully one hundred percent for the biggest showdown of Toronto’s season.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan