03/13/26 09:59:00
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03/13 21:57 CDT Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews out for season with a torn MCL
after kneeing by Radko Gudas
Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews out for season with a torn MCL after kneeing
by Radko Gudas
TORONTO (AP) --- Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has a torn medial
collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the NHL season.
The team provided an injury update Friday night, a little under 24 hours since
Matthews was knocked out of a game against Anaheim on a knee-on-knee hit from
Radko Gudas.
The Leafs said Matthews has a Grade 3 MCL tear and a bruised quadriceps muscle
and would be evaluated again in two weeks. Gudas was suspended five games for
kneeing, the maximum the league's Department of Safety could levy because his
hearing was by phone.
Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver said in a statement that "in light of the
obvious severity of the play, I am very disappointed and shocked that the
league would allow for such a ruling." Moldaver took issue with the decision to
limit the suspension to five games.
In game, Gudas was given a major penalty and ejected.
"Dirty play," Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said Thursday night. "League's
going to obviously look at it and see what the suspension will be or whatever
happens."
Trying to make a move around Gudas in the slot in the second period of
Toronto's 6-4 victory, Matthews stook a direct blow to his left leg and crashed
to the ice. The U.S. Olympic captain stayed down before being helped to the
locker room.
Gudas is the bruising Czech defender who ended Canadian captain Sidney Crosby's
Olympics in the quarterfinals with a hit.
"He's done a few of those before in his career," Toronto winger Matthew Knies
said.
Gudas was asked following Anaheim's morning skate about trying to contain
Matthews.
"We go to be on top of him," Gudas said. "We got to make sure that he doesn't
get space in the middle of the ice ... make his night's not enjoyable."
Ducks coach Joel Quenneville defended his player.
"There's no premeditation," Quenneville said. "Reflexes did it."
Matthews snapped a 12-game goal drought earlier in the period on a power play.
He had 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games this season.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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