Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews returned for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in Boston.
The Maple Leafs center, who led the NHL with 69 goals in 81 games in the regular season, did not play in Toronto's 2-1 overtime win in Game 5 on Tuesday or in a 2-1 win in Game 6 on Thursday, which tied the best-of-7 series.
He exited before the third period of Game 4 on April 28, a 3-1 loss, with an illness and has not played since. He took the ice briefly the morning of Game 5 on Tuesday, but Saturday marked the first time he took part in drills with the rest of the team.
Matthews has three points (one goal, two assists) in four games this postseason. All three points came in a 3-2 win in Game 2 on April 22.
“He wants to be out there,” Toronto forward Mitch Marner said. “He’s a [heck] of a competitor, you see it in every level that he’s been at, so he wants to be out there, for sure.” -- Joe Pohoryles
New York Rangers
Adam Fox will play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Sunday (4 p.m. ET; ESPN).
The defenseman returned to practice Saturday after missing the Rangers' full-team on-ice workouts Wednesday and Thursday because of maintenance reasons, according to the team.
"I feel good, ready to go," Fox said.
The Rangers never issued a specific reason why Fox didn't skate Wednesday or Thursday. Fox also was not specific and would not say if he skated on his own before Saturday.
"I think any time you get some extra rest and recover, just having that extra time off is important," Fox said. "Fully ready to practice today and obviously it's nice to get out there and skate before the game."
Fox's absence earlier in the week could stem from what appeared to be a knee-on-knee hit he took from Washington Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen in the first period of the Rangers' 4-2 first-round series-clinching win Sunday.
Fox wouldn't say if it was knee on knee, but he was shaken up after taking the hit to his right leg that resulted in a tripping penalty on Jensen at 18:51. He quickly returned and finished Game 4, playing 21:09, the most among the Rangers’ six defensemen.
"There were no restrictions out there," coach Peter Laviolette said. "He looked great. He had a great practice."
Fox had two assists and was plus-4 while averaging 21:46 of ice time per game in the first round. He led all Rangers defensemen with 73 points (17 goals, 56 assists) in 72 regular season games.
In addition, defenseman K'Andre Miller left practice early Saturday after a puck appeared to hit him under his chin. It was late in practice and Miller didn't return, but Laviolette said he should be fine for Game 1. --* Dan Rosen*
Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett is expected to return for the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
The forward has not played since sustaining an apparent hand injury in a 3-2 overtime win in Game 2 of the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 23, when a shot from teammate Brandon Montour struck him. Bennett scored the opening goal and assisted on the second and was expected to be out week to week.
"That's a very real possibility," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday. "He will skate tomorrow for the first time and then I will give you an update before the next series starts,"
Bennett, who had 41 points (20 goals, 21 assists) in 69 regular-season games, has a goal and an assist in two playoff games.
The Panthers, who defeated the Lightning in five games in the first round, will play the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. The start of that series is to be determined. -- George Richards
