Matthews and Marner played the most minutes among the Maple Leafs in their loss to San Jose on Thursday evening.
Dec 7, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and right wing Mitch Marner (16) talk before a face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
After a busy game that ended in a 6-5 shootout loss against the San Jose Sharks, the Toronto Maple Leafs held an optional practice Friday in Los Angeles, California.
Maple Leafs associate coach Lane Lambert ran the skate with most of the team on the ice. However, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who played over 25 minutes in Toronto's loss to the Sharks, remained off the ice on Friday.
"Minutes got a little high and just made it an optional," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the optional skate.
Toronto was down 5-3 entering the final minutes of the game. With the goalie pulled, John Tavares and William Nylander each scored, forcing overtime. The Maple Leafs' big four all played over two minutes in the extra frame but couldn't find the back of the net.
"The state of the game and where we were at. Max (Domi) was in the box, too. He wasn't available, so I played a lot of our skilled guys down the stretch to try to tie the game up. And then we get to OT, and that's where they play," added Berube.
The one point moved Toronto into first place in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs will likely make the playoffs, but they hope to remain in the top spot by the end of the regular season.
That means winning games. And playing your most skilled players in key moments, like Berube did against San Jose.
"I don't want them minutes to get that high. And there's times that it does. Every game is different, right?" Toronto's head coach said. "I want to win games. So do they. But it's not like they haven't done that before, you know? So they rest today, get ready for tomorrow."
Among the players on the ice Friday was Pontus Holmberg. The 26-year-old has been a healthy scratch for the last two games and hasn't registered a point since Mar. 10 in Utah.
He'll get into the lineup against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, but as for who comes out: "I'm not sure yet," Berube said, even withholding who they starting goaltender will be on Saturday.
Anthony Stolarz should be in the net, given they're rotating goaltenders and Joseph Woll played on Thursday. "Maybe," smiled Berube when asked if Stolarz would start on Saturday.
Toronto has 10 games left in the regular season, with two more on the California road trip. Once finished, six of their final eight games will be against Atlantic Division teams (two vs. Florida and one against Tampa, Montreal, Buffalo, and Detroit).
It's going to be a crazy final stretch.
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