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Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews caused a stir among fans when he was absent from the team's morning skate ahead of their pivotal Game 3 against the Boston Bruins.
Initially reported by David Alter, Matthews' status was unclear, prompting immediate concern from Leafs Nation.
However, Elliotte Friedman quickly put those fears to rest, tweeting that Auston Matthews was simply "taking the option" to rest rather than participate in the skate.
This update came as a major relief to nervous Toronto followers.
As one fan aptly put it,
"Leafs fans nearly had a heart attack" when the news first broke about Auston Matthews' absence.
Another came in support of Auston Matthews's decision to rest:
"He play over 23 minutes and will do so again tonight. Who can blame him for sitting it out?"
Another fan jokingly said:
"He needs to rest his back from all of that carrying." Wrote on X.
Here are some fan reactions:
"I do not mind this at all. Now if Marner is not practicing then we have a serious problem." one fan wrote on X.
"Elliotte calming down the rest of Leafs Nation after half of them had a heart attack!" another fan wrote.
"Getting rested to score a hat trick tonight". a user wrote.
"He earned it after game 2." one fan wrote.
"Good night Auston get ur sleep." another fan wrote on X.
The reigning Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy winner has been a force for the Leafs in their first-round series, recording 1 goal and 2 assists in Game 2.
Matthews is confirmed for Game 3 against the Bruins on Wednesday in Toronto.
Auston Matthews’s Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins: Odds and prediction
The storied playoff rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins continues tonight with Game 3 of their first-round series. Based on odds and historical data, Toronto appears to have a slight edge at home.
The Maple Leafs have an all-time playoff record of 41-43-1 against the Bruins over their 85 previous meetings.
They secured victories in 39 of 64 games and have won 39 of 62 games when the odds were lower than -114. This points to a 53.3% chance of the Maple Leafs emerging victorious in tonight's contest.
On the other hand, the Bruins find themselves as the underdogs. Despite this, they have managed to pull off six upsets in 12 games where they were not favored.
When the odds have set Boston as underdogs of -106 or longer, they have a 5-6 record, indicating a 51.5% probability of winning the game.
Fans can catch all the action on ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS, and NESN, or tune in to the radio broadcasts on CJCL Sportsnet (590 The Fan) and WBZFM (98.5 The Sports Hub).
