Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies will not return to game two after suffering what appears to be an injury in the first period. The Maple Leafs public relations tweeted the news midway through the first intermission of tonight’s game. Knies appeared to hit the back of his head hard on the ice after he and Sam Bennett got tied up behind the Florida Panthers net. Bennett forcefully wrestled Knies down to the ice and skated away while Knies was slow to exit the Panthers zone before returning to the Maple Leafs bench and heading down the runway.
Although Knies played in just three regular season games for Toronto he has been a central piece of their playoff push thus far with four points in six games coming into this evening. Knies was one of the big reasons the Leafs came to life in game one after falling behind to the Panthers as his first career NHL goal ignited the home crowd and started the Leafs push in a failed attempt at a comeback.
Knies suffered an upper body injury earlier this season when he was still playing NCAA hockey but didn’t miss game action and eventually signed with the Leafs before playing three regular season games. Should Knies be out long term it could deal a huge blow to the Maple Leafs who have given Knies a lot of responsibility very early in his career. The 20-year-old played almost 15 minutes in game one and was one of the few Maple Leafs who were able to match the Panthers level of physicality.
The Maple Leafs and Rangers are setting new levels for choking in the NHL Playoffs. Well done sirs!
They literally just advanced for the first time in 20 years. Not sure how that constitutes a new level of choking.
You OK? You must of been in a coma for awhile because they’re down 2-0 to Florida having lost the first 2 at home to the 8 seed. That’s choking.
“Have”, not “of.” You OK?
What are we children now? It is a choke job. Being the favorite to win the cut and all.
They were the favourite after round 1 by oddsmakers. how did that work for the Rangers, Bruins, Avalanche?
a team getting to round 2 for the first time in 20 years is not a choke job. is losing in round 2 to a Florida team they had a 3-0-1 record vs in the reg. season disappointing? Certainly, but it’s not a choke job.
Plus, and I’m not saying I expect this, but we just saw this Fla team come back from down 2 games in a series so not sure you can write off Toronto yet.
It’s your “new level for choking” comment that is just plain wrong. They’ve choked much harder in previous seasons. The record-setting Bruins blowing a 3-1 series lead in round 1 is the ultimate choke job.
Florida took out the best team in the NHL this year in the first round, no idea how the leafs are choking, ya dummy.
Florida took out the best team in the NHL this year in the first round, no idea how the leafs are choking…. The Devils had a better season than the rangers this year so no idea how NY choked either. The weird Uncle makes zero sense
Florida takes out the NHLs top team and your saying the the leafs are choking? Also, New Jersey had a better season than New York this year so doesn’t qualify for a choke job either. Get a grip Uncle
We got your comment the first two times you posted. Thanks.
Getting back to the article at hand, hopefully the league reviews the play. In real time it didn’t look dirty but the replay does show Bennett trying to force Knies head down to the ice. Not sure if his injury (presumably a concussion) was on the original hit or the wrestling, nor if it warrants a suspension, but to ignore it completely without doing some review would be bad.
Karma, for the Leafs injuring 3 Bolts in game 1.
wtf you talking about? point returned the same game.
Point had damaged rib cartilage from the Riley double hit
if you are getting hurt on a hit from Morgan Rielly well….