NHL Odds: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews will miss at least a week with lower-body injury

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will reportedly miss at least a week with a lower-body injury.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Auston Matthews

Matthews left in the second period of Toronto’s 5-3 loss in Boston on Tuesday after taking a hard hit into the boards from Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, while acknowledging he wasn’t sure if the hit caused Matthews’ injury, wasn’t a fan of the play.

“I think it’s a penalty, personally” said Berube after the game. “But I’m not the referee. I don’t like it. I don’t like the hit. [Matthews] is in a vulnerable position. So, whatever. Nothing I can do about it.”

Zadorov was not penalized on the play and said after the game that he plays hard against top opponents and there was no ill intention with the hit.

Luckily for Leafs fans, the injury is not considered serious. Matthews has 14 points in 17 games this season and he is tied for the team-lead with nine goals.

Anthony Stolarz

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz also left Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury in the first period.

Berube said after the game that the Stolarz injury isn’t considered serious. The 31-year-old American has struggled at time this season, posting 3.51 goals-against average and .884 save percentage in 13 games.

Stolarz and Matthews will both be out of the lineup when Toronto hosts the L.A. Kings on Thursday night.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The injuries to Matthews and Stolarz come at a bad time for the Maple Leafs. Toronto has dropped three games in a row and they sit second-last in the Eastern Conference with an 8-8-1 record.

Fortunately for the Leafs, the Eastern Conference standings are tight. Toronto is only two points out of a wild-card spot and they trail Atlantic Division co-leaders Montreal and Boston by just five points.

With how little separation there is in the Eastern Conference standings, the Leafs are a tempting play at +825 to win the Atlantic Division. Toronto is virtually a coin-flip to make the playoffs.