Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews didn't suit up for his team's 2-1 Game 6 victory against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, marking his second consecutive game out of the lineup.

Matthews missed the third period of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to an illness. He's also dealing with an apparent injury he suffered on an innocuous hit in the series, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston, whose sources added that it would be "reckless" for Matthews to try to play through the ailment.

It's uncertain if Matthews can play in Game 7, though one source told Johnston it's unlikely.

The Maple Leafs prevailed in Game 5 without Matthews to keep their season alive courtesy of Matthew Knies' overtime winner. In Game 6, William Nylander scored twice while Joseph Woll made 22 saves.

Matthews won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in four years this past season by pacing the NHL with 69 goals. He carried the Leafs to victory in Game 2 with a three-point effort - including the game-winner - but has otherwise been held off the scoresheet in the playoffs.

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Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews won't play in Thursday's Game 6 against the Boston Bruins, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed.

Matthews missed the third period of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to an illness. He's also dealing with an apparent injury.

The Maple Leafs prevailed in Game 5 without Matthews to keep their season alive courtesy of Matthew Knies' overtime winner.

The rest of Toronto's lineup from Game 5 is expected to remain the same, with Max Domi shifting over from the wing to center the top line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner in Matthews' absence.

Matthews won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in four years this past season by pacing the NHL with 69 goals. He carried the Leafs to victory in Game 2 with a three-point effort - including the game-winner - but has otherwise been held off the scoresheet in the playoffs.

Toronto trails Boston 3-2 in the series.

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There are three elimination games scheduled over the next couple of nights in the NHL.

Here are the best ways to attack them.

William Nylander: Over 3.5 shots

Nylander hit the ground running after returning to the Maple Leafs' lineup. He recorded eight shots and 20 attempts in two games while logging 22-plus minutes in each.

That's nothing new for Nylander, who's cleared his shot total at a 65% clip when playing 20-plus minutes this season. That number spikes to 72% when moving the needle to 22 minutes or more.

I expect Nylander to continue getting as much ice as he can handle in Game 6. The Leafs are struggling to score goals, and they'll need their 98-point man - who has historically done a good job of producing in the playoffs - to help buck that trend.

Auston Matthews' status shouldn't have much of an impact on Nylander, who generally skates on the second line with John Tavares and the No. 1 power play.

Odds: -106 (playable to -120)

Morgan Rielly: Over 0.5 assists

Rielly's the No. 1 defenseman on the Maple Leafs and their only truly gifted puck mover. He plays a ton of minutes as a result, often behind the star-studded top two lines.

He's been on the ice for 125 shot attempts, 61 shots on goal, 26 high-danger scoring chances, and 5.78 expected goals at five-on-five. Those totals are good for first among all players on either team.

He also has a great role as the quarterback of a highly talented power play, even though it hasn't looked the part thus far.

Rielly's a talented player who plays a ton of minutes - almost exclusively with the team's top players - in every key offensive situation. His usage will only be ramped up further with the Maple Leafs playing for their season.

Considering his role on the team and that his hit rate is 24% higher when playing on home ice, I like backing Rielly for an apple in this do-or-die game.

Odds: -115 (playable to -130)

Quinn Hughes: Over 0.5 assists

Note: Canucks play Friday at 7 p.m. ET

Hughes is a cheat code when it comes to creating goals. He picked up 75 assists in the regular season and has five through five games against the Predators.

Although the series has been low-event and tightly contested, the Predators do like to open things up when they can, and that style seems to benefit Hughes.

Playoffs included, the dynamic defenseman has recorded 11 assists through eight games against the Predators this season. The location doesn't matter, either, as Hughes has five assists spanning four games in Nashville.

The Predators are a good team, but I think the Canucks have the edge in high-end talent and expect them to put Nashville away Friday night.

Given how many minutes Hughes plays as a puck-dominant offensive catalyst, he should be able to record an assist along the way.

Odds: Playable to -130.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

There are three elimination games scheduled over the next couple of nights in the NHL.

Here are the best ways to attack them.

William Nylander: Over 3.5 shots

Nylander hit the ground running after returning to the Maple Leafs' lineup. He recorded eight shots and 20 attempts in two games while logging 22-plus minutes in each.

That's nothing new for Nylander, who's cleared his shot total at a 65% clip when playing 20-plus minutes this season. That number spikes to 72% when moving the needle to 22 minutes or more.

I expect Nylander to continue getting as much ice as he can handle in Game 6. The Leafs are struggling to score goals, and they'll need their 98-point man - who has historically done a good job of producing in the playoffs - to help buck that trend.

Auston Matthews' status shouldn't have much of an impact on Nylander, who generally skates on the second line with John Tavares and the No. 1 power play.

Odds: -106 (playable to -120)

Morgan Rielly: Over 0.5 assists

Rielly's the No. 1 defenseman on the Maple Leafs and their only truly gifted puck mover. He plays a ton of minutes as a result, often behind the star-studded top two lines.

He's been on the ice for 125 shot attempts, 61 shots on goal, 26 high-danger scoring chances, and 5.78 expected goals at five-on-five. Those totals are good for first among all players on either team.

He also has a great role as the quarterback of a highly talented power play, even though it hasn't looked the part thus far.

Rielly's a talented player who plays a ton of minutes - almost exclusively with the team's top players - in every key offensive situation. His usage will only be ramped up further with the Maple Leafs playing for their season.

Considering his role on the team and that his hit rate is 24% higher when playing on home ice, I like backing Rielly for an apple in this do-or-die game.

Odds: -115 (playable to -130)

Quinn Hughes: Over 0.5 assists

Note: Canucks play Friday at 7 p.m. ET

Hughes is a cheat code when it comes to creating goals. He picked up 75 assists in the regular season and has five through five games against the Predators.

Although the series has been low-event and tightly contested, the Predators do like to open things up when they can, and that style seems to benefit Hughes.

Playoffs included, the dynamic defenseman has recorded 11 assists through eight games against the Predators this season. The location doesn't matter, either, as Hughes has five assists spanning four games in Nashville.

The Predators are a good team, but I think the Canucks have the edge in high-end talent and expect them to put Nashville away Friday night.

Given how many minutes Hughes plays as a puck-dominant offensive catalyst, he should be able to record an assist along the way.

Odds: Playable to -130.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, and Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen are the 2023-24 finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Andersen missed 49 games this season due to a blood clotting issue after doctors discovered it just five contests into his campaign. The 34-year-old went 9-1-0 with a .951 save percentage and three shutouts upon returning in March, helping the Hurricanes finish third in the league standings.

Ingram almost retired in 2021 due to undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression before he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The 27-year-old puck-stopper grabbed the Coyotes' No. 1 job this season and exceeded expectations for the lackluster squad. He posted a .907 save percentage and tied for the NHL lead with six shutouts in 50 games.

Kylington rejoined the Flames in January after spending over a year and a half away from the club to prioritize his mental health. He opened up about it upon returning, saying he had been concerned he wouldn't be able to continue playing. Kylington, who turns 27 on May 19, logged 33 games for Calgary in 2023-24, chipping in three goals and five assists while averaging 17:15 of ice time. The Flames drafted him 60th overall in 2015.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes to determine the winner.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, and Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen are the 2023-24 finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Andersen missed 49 games this season due to a blood clotting issue after doctors discovered it just five contests into his campaign. The 34-year-old went 9-1-0 with a .951 save percentage and three shutouts upon returning in March, helping the Hurricanes finish third in the league standings.

Ingram almost retired in 2021 due to undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression before he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The 27-year-old puck-stopper grabbed the Coyotes' No. 1 job this season and exceeded expectations for the lackluster squad. He posted a .907 save percentage and tied for the NHL lead with six shutouts in 50 games.

Kylington rejoined the Flames in January after spending over a year and a half away from the club to prioritize his mental health. He opened up about it upon returning, saying he had been concerned he wouldn't be able to continue playing. Kylington, who turns 27 on May 19, logged 33 games for Calgary in 2023-24, chipping in three goals and five assists while averaging 17:15 of ice time. The Flames drafted him 60th overall in 2015.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes to determine the winner.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.