Leafs without Matthews in win-or-go-home G5

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews did not play in Game 5 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Bruins on Tuesday night in Boston.

Toronto trails in the best-of-seven series 3-1.

Matthews has dealt with a lingering illness for more than a week, and the symptoms have been exacerbated during games. Coach Sheldon Keefe declined to comment earlier Tuesday if Matthews is battling an undisclosed injury in addition to the sickness.

Keefe said it would be the Leafs’ team doctors making the final call on whether Matthews would dress.

“He’s working through things to try to make himself available to play. No determination at this time,” Keefe said Tuesday morning. “We’ll see how the rest of the day goes.”

Matthews skated Tuesday prior to the team’s optional morning skate at TD Garden. He spent about 10 minutes going through some light drill work with assistant coaches and departed before the full session got underway.

It was the first time Matthews had been on the ice since being pulled by team doctors before the third period of Game 4 on Saturday.

Matthews played through his sickness in Game 3, a 4-2 Leafs loss, and played the first 40 minutes of Toronto’s 3-1 defeat in Game 4. The Leafs’ top center had his best outing in Game 2, tallying all three points he’s earned this series, including the winning goal.

With Matthews unable to play, Max Domi moved up to Matthews’ top line spot and William Nylander went to the team’s second line. Domi also took Matthews’ spot on the Leafs’ sputtering power play, which entered Tuesday 1-for-11 in the playoffs.

Toronto also made a change in net for Game 5, going from Ilya Samsonov to Joseph Woll. Samsonov started all four games against Boston but was replaced by Woll for the third period of Game 4 after Samsonov allowed three goals on 16 shots. Woll made five saves in relief.

The 25-year-old had a solid regular season primarily backing up for Samsonov, collecting a 12-11-1 record with a .907 save percentage and a 2.94 goals-against average. Woll got his first taste of NHL postseason hockey last year when Samsonov was injured in the second round of the playoffs against Florida, posting a .915 SV% and a 2.43 GAA.

“For a young guy he’s pretty steady,” Leafs forward Ryan Reaves said of Woll. “I think he’s excited to get in there and do his thing. We’re a confident bunch when he’s in the net.”

Keefe stressed after Monday’s practice the importance of Toronto improving on special teams and goaltending if it were to stay alive for Game 6. Boston has halted its goalie rotation and stuck with Jeremy Swayman for three of the four games, and he’s been excellent (3-0-0, .956 SV%, 1.34 GAA). The Bruins’ power play has also given the Leafs’ fits at 6-for-13 in the series.

Boston went with Swayman again for Game 5.