The Toronto Maple Leafs are making dramatic lineup changes for Game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Star centre Auston Matthews will return after missing Games 5 and 6 with an undisclosed ailment, but goaltender Joseph Woll is out with an undisclosed injury after playing a huge role in the past two contests.
Ilya Samsonov will return to the net after starting the first four games of the series. Martin Jones will back up. Samsonov lost three of the first four games, prompting the Leafs to turn to Woll, who allowed just one goal in each of the past two games as Toronto tied the series.
The Leafs said Woll suffered the injury in Game 6. He was slow to get up after sprawling to try to prevent a meaningless, last-second goal in a 2-1 Toronto win.
Matthews was not available for Game 6, despite taking to the ice to do puck drills ahead of the team’s skate. The 26-year-old was pulled from Game 4 in the second intermission and has been sidelined since.
He'll line up alongside Pontus Holmberg and Calle Jarnkrok on the third line as head coach Sheldon Keefe opts to keep the top six intact to start the game. Nick Robertson and Ryan Reaves were scratched.
Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals this season.
Samsonov has a 3.31 goals-against average and .883 save percentage in the playoffs. He goes up against Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman, who has a 1.60 GAA and .947 save percentage in five games.
Watch Game 7 on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
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