Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Returns For Game 7 Vs. Bruins

BOSTON — The Bruins’ attempt to avoid blowing a 3-1 series lead in back-to-back seasons might have gotten more difficult.

Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews is returning to the lineup.

Matthews took the ice with his teammates during pre-game warmups, signaling his return to the lineup after missing each of the last two games with an illness.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan confirmed the news.

It’s also believed the 26-year-old is playing through an unidentified injury after Toronto team doctors removed him from the lineup during the second intermission of Game 4. He missed back-to-back wins for the Maple Leafs, who have found plenty of success with Max Domi replacing him on the top line alongside Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe, perhaps playing mind games with the Bruins, sure made it seem like his superstar would miss a third consecutive elimination game in the morning.

“As of right now, we’re proceeding as we’ve been,” Keefe said, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic.

Matthews arrived on the first bus early Saturday evening ahead of Game 7, and he’ll return as Toronto attempts to exercise its demons at TD Garden.