03/12/26 11:27:00
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03/12 23:26 CDT Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews leaves after knee-on-knee hit
from Ducks' Radko Gudas
Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews leaves after knee-on-knee hit from Ducks'
Radko Gudas
TORONTO (AP) --- Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews left Thursday
night against Anaheim after a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko
Gudas that drew a major penalty and game misconduct.
"Dirty play," said Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, who didn't have an update on
his star center. "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 has 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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