Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies, who left Game 2 of the series against the Florida Panthers early Thursday, is sure to miss Games 3 and 4, with coach Sheldon Keefe saying his return is unlikely at the end of the semifinals.
During a press conference on Zoom on Friday, Keefe revealed his protégé suffered a concussion when he was beaten up by Sam Bennett in the first period of the final game, which went 3-2, a check along the boards and his attacker threw him to the ground with his right arm. Despite looking shaken, the Leafs color bear was able to retire to the bench and complete the first engagement. However, he missed the next 40 minutes.
Sam Bennett shoves Matthew Knies, making him backfirst into the boards, then tops it off with a body slam on the ice. It’s tough out there tonight folks! pic.twitter.com/ADLWAmveWf
— Jason Gold (@JayGold85) May 4, 2023
The 21-year-old skater, who was drafted 57th overall in the 2021 draft, hit the target for the first time in the National League in Tuesday’s series opener. So far, he has played 10 games with Toronto, including seven in the playoffs, after playing with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the regular season.
The third Leafs-Panthers meeting is scheduled for Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on TVA Sports.