Maple Leafs’ power play clicks minus injured Matthews in 4-0 victory over Bruins

The Toronto Maple Leafs came together for a 4-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, despite being without their star player, Auston Matthews, who sat out with an upper-body injury. Matthews' absence was felt, but it didn't stop the Leafs' special teams from finally finding their rhythm.

Toronto had struggled with their power play all season, entering the game ranked 31st with just 4 goals on 40 opportunities. But against Boston, they clicked, scoring three times on seven power plays.

The penalty kill was also perfect, shutting down all six of Boston's chances. This strong performance came with contributions from William Nylander, who scored on the power play and set up another goal, and Morgan Rielly, who registered a goal and two assists with the man advantage.

Despite the success, Rielly remained cautious, emphasizing that the team would stick to the process and not get complacent.

Coach Craig Berube echoed this sentiment, focusing on the team's ability to adapt and play without Matthews, stating that the depth of the team would help fill the void.

Max Domi stepped up by centering the top line alongside Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies, both of whom had strong performances, with Marner and Knies both recording a goal and an assist on the power play.

The Leafs were also motivated to break their recent losing streak to the Bruins, who had dominated their matchups, including eliminating Toronto in the first round of the previous year's playoffs.

Despite Matthews' absence, the team showed resilience and depth, improving their record to 36-19-2 in games without their star player.

Overall, it was a strong team effort, with players stepping up and showing that the Leafs have the depth to compete even without their best player.