Matthews is still feeling the effects of an illness that forced him from the third period of Toronto's 3-1 loss in Game 4 of Toronto's first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Bruins. The effects of the illness have lingered and worsened when he is on the ice exerting himself.
Coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned that the illness Matthews is facing is not the usual kind that comes and goes, but rather something that has stayed with Matthews and deteriorated while playing. The team was hopeful an extra day of recovery would aid his condition for Game 5.
During the emotional defeat in Game 4, Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander were seen in a heated exchange on the bench. Despite the outside perception as turmoil, Keefe viewed it as a positive sign of the players expressing passion and progress, a situation that wouldn't have occurred in the past.
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