<a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> captain Auston Matthews participated in the team&#8217;s optional skate Tuesday morning, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-rest-day-toronto-maple-leafs-practice">after missing Monday&#8217;s practice due to rest</a>.
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Matthews was working with Max Domi on shooting drills before the session formally began. After the skate ended, Matthews spoke with reporters where he asserted that there was nothing to be concerned about.
&#8220;Just listen to the body sometimes, and sometimes you feel like you need a little bit of rest or time off the ice, not a big deal,&#8221; Matthews said.
&#8220;I think everybody is grinding right now. It&#8217;s that point in the season where it&#8217;s hard, physical hockey. You&#8217;re ready to go through different things. It&#8217;s nothing that&#8217;s abnormal. It&#8217;s not a big deal.&#8221;
Berube indicated that Matthews received some rest, after logging 26:23 of ice time in <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/4-takeaways-toronto-maple-leafs-ottawa-senators-power-penaties-loss">Game 4</a>.
&#8220;I think this time of the year, he&#8217;s played a lot of hockey. He&#8217;s good at managing his body and what he needs, a lot like John Tavares. He&#8217;s pretty dialled in with that department,&#8221; Berube said of Matthews.
Matthews previously missed 15 games during the regular season, but has been locked in throughout the playoffs, posting a goal and six points through four games.
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Auston Matthews and Max Domi were working on shooting drills before the Leafs’ optional morning skate started. <a href="https://t.co/G2W34RtWka">pic.twitter.com/G2W34RtWka</a>
&mdash; Arun Srinivasan (@Arunthings) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arunthings/status/1917222857257402537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Max Pacioretty will remain in the lineup for the third consecutive game, on the third line alongside Max Domi and Bobby McMann. Pacioretty spoke to reporters following the skate, about the importance of closing out the series and blocking out the noise.
&#8220;You gotta play each night like you&#8217;re willing to die on that ice,&#8221; Pacioretty said.
The veteran forward noted that his kids will be in attendance to see him play, and he&#8217;s looking forward to the opportunity.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube indicated there will be no changes to the lineup from Game 4, and justified his decision to start <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/a-plea-for-rationality-merits-natural-confidence">Anthony Stolarz for Game 5</a>. Stolarz has been outstanding throughout the series, and won 11 consecutive games prior to Saturday&#8217;s Game 4 loss, but there were some advocating for Joseph Woll to take over in the crease.
&#8220;He&#8217;s fine. It&#8217;s hard for him, for sure,&#8221; Berube said of David Kampf. &#8220;He got injured at the end of the year and that&#8217;s the situation: the team was playing well, and I didn&#8217;t want to change the lineup. It&#8217;s not a knock against him at all, it&#8217;s just the way things are looking and going. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;ve stuck with what I&#8217;ve stuck with. He&#8217;s an important part of the team for sure, and he has been all year. It&#8217;s hard for those guys not to play, I get it, but they&#8217;ve been very good team-first guys.&#8221;
As for Stolarz, it seems to be an easy decision for Berube and company.
&#8220;I&#8217;m just focused on Stolarz right now. That&#8217;s really where I&#8217;m at. I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s any reason to change right now,&#8221; Berube said.
<h3>Maple Leafs&#8217; projected lineup vs. Senators</h3>
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner 
Pontus Holmberg-John Tavares-William Nylander
Bobby McMann-Max Domi-Max Pacioretty
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Jarnkrok
Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Anthony Stolarz (confirmed starter)
Joseph Woll 
<h3>Sponsored by bet365</h3>
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<a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> captain Auston Matthews participated in the team's optional skate Tuesday morning, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-rest-day-toronto-maple-leafs-practice">after missing Monday's practice due to rest</a>.
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Matthews was working with Max Domi on shooting drills before the session formally began. After the skate ended, Matthews spoke with reporters where he asserted that there was nothing to be concerned about.

"Just listen to the body sometimes, and sometimes you feel like you need a little bit of rest or time off the ice, not a big deal," Matthews said.

"I think everybody is grinding right now. It's that point in the season where it's hard, physical hockey. You're ready to go through different things. It's nothing that's abnormal. It's not a big deal."

Berube indicated that Matthews received some rest, after logging 26:23 of ice time in <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/4-takeaways-toronto-maple-leafs-ottawa-senators-power-penaties-loss">Game 4</a>.

"I think this time of the year, he's played a lot of hockey. He's good at managing his body and what he needs, a lot like John Tavares. He's pretty dialled in with that department," Berube said of Matthews.

Matthews previously missed 15 games during the regular season, but has been locked in throughout the playoffs, posting a goal and six points through four games.

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https://twitter.com/Arunthings/status/1917222857257402537

Max Pacioretty will remain in the lineup for the third consecutive game, on the third line alongside Max Domi and Bobby McMann. Pacioretty spoke to reporters following the skate, about the importance of closing out the series and blocking out the noise.

"You gotta play each night like you're willing to die on that ice," Pacioretty said.

The veteran forward noted that his kids will be in attendance to see him play, and he's looking forward to the opportunity.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube indicated there will be no changes to the lineup from Game 4, and justified his decision to start <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/a-plea-for-rationality-merits-natural-confidence">Anthony Stolarz for Game 5</a>. Stolarz has been outstanding throughout the series, and won 11 consecutive games prior to Saturday's Game 4 loss, but there were some advocating for Joseph Woll to take over in the crease.

"He's fine. It's hard for him, for sure," Berube said of David Kampf. "He got injured at the end of the year and that's the situation: the team was playing well, and I didn't want to change the lineup. It's not a knock against him at all, it's just the way things are looking and going. That's why I've stuck with what I've stuck with. He's an important part of the team for sure, and he has been all year. It's hard for those guys not to play, I get it, but they've been very good team-first guys."

As for Stolarz, it seems to be an easy decision for Berube and company.

"I'm just focused on Stolarz right now. That's really where I'm at. I don't think there's any reason to change right now," Berube said.
<h3>Maple Leafs' projected lineup vs. Senators</h3>
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner 

Pontus Holmberg-John Tavares-William Nylander

Bobby McMann-Max Domi-Max Pacioretty

Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Jarnkrok

Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev

Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo

Simon Benoit-Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Anthony Stolarz (confirmed starter)

Joseph Woll 
<h3>Sponsored by bet365</h3>
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Scenes from Leafs’ morning skate: Matthews, Domi working on shooting drills, no lineup changes

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