Matthew Knies will remain in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round even though Michael Bunting is eligible to return after serving a three-game suspension.
Knies replaced Bunting the past three games, all wins for the Maple Leafs, who lead the best-of-7 series against the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1. Game 5 is in Toronto on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TBS, CBC, SN, TVAS, BSSUN).
"Matthew Knies is certainly not coming out of the lineup, he's done a terrific job for us," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "He's a guy that has definitely earned his spot and the opportunity to continue to play for us there."
Knies, who signed with the Maple Leafs on April 9 after completing his sophomore season with the University of Minnesota, has one assist, is a plus-2 and has averaged 15:35 in ice time in three Stanley Cup Playoff games. He assisted on Noel Acciari's goal in Game 3 and was on the ice providing a net-front presence on each of Toronto's game-winning goals in overtime the past two games.
Bunting was suspended by the NHL Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak in Game 1. Cernak has missed the past three games because of an upper-body injury and was ruled out of Game 5 by Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper on Tuesday.
"With Bunting being available, obviously it's a very good option for us and a good player for us," Keefe said. "It's not as easy or as simple a decision as it may have been earlier in the series."
The Maple Leafs have used the same lineup the past three games. They won 7-2 at home in Game 2, then 4-3 in overtime in Game 3 at Tampa Bay and 5-4 in overtime on the road in Game 4 on Monday.
"We're at a different time so we will take our time here and sort through it," Keefe said about the lineup. "We've got a group of guys that have played real hard but we will spend some time here today and tomorrow to sort through that and make that decision."
The Maple Leafs will have a chance to win their first playoff series since April 20, 2004, when they defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Toronto is 0-10 in its past 10 games with a chance to eliminate an opponent.
"It is nice we have a couple of days here," Keefe said. "You get off of the high and all the emotions that come from last night's game. Here this morning was pretty calm and quiet at breakfast. We'll travel home today and get a practice day tomorrow, and really for me it's going to be about the focus. We have to prepare to win one hockey game, one very challenging hockey game, and that's really it. Anything else outside of our preparation and our execution when game time comes is a distraction. It's on me as the coach and our players individually to eliminate as many distractions as possible and keep the focus where it needs to be."
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