The Anaheim Ducks’ Radko Gudas will be at the center of attention whether or not he actually suits up against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.
The 35-year-old defenseman was dealt a five-game suspension for a knee-on-knee hit that ended Leafs captain Auston Matthews’ season on March 12. Matthews suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion as a result of the collision.
“Having led with and extended his knee and finding himself lined up outside of Matthews’ core, Gudas leans towards contact with Matthews in a way that results in a forceful, dangerous and direct knee-on-knee collision,” the NHL explained of the lengthy suspension at Gudas’ subsequent hearing.
The Leafs (31-30-13, 75 points) received their fair share of scrutiny from fans and media for failing to confront Gudas immediately after the fact. The Czech veteran had already been suspended four times in his NHL career before the incident.
“It’s on me for not responding earlier to Gudas,” said defenseman Morgan Rielly after that game, who was on the ice at the time. “Obviously, it’s a dirty hit. I didn’t understand how bad he got him in the moment, but I take full responsibility for not being the first one in there or not being in there quicker to respond.”
The Leafs might have hoped for another run at Gudas 18 days later, though it now appears unlikely he will be fit to play. Gudas missed Anaheim’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night with a lower-body injury and was spotted in a walking boot earlier in the day.
Bad blood aside, the game will carry massive implications for the Pacific Division-leading Ducks (41-28-4, 86 points).
The Oilers pulled within three points of Anaheim with a 4-2 win over them on Saturday, Zach Hyman spoiling their comeback attempt from 3-0 down with a late empty-netter. The Ducks allowed the first goal for the 15th occasion in 17 games since the Olympic break when Connor McDavid scored halfway into the second period.
“Recently we just haven’t had the right starts to games,” said Cutter Gauthier, who scored one of Anaheim’s goals. “To win games in this hockey league, you got to play a full 60 and I’m proud of our group that we always find a way to kind of come back in games and get goals when they matter, but this was an example that we got to start on time.”
They should have every chance to get back on track against a Maple Leafs team that managed just four shots through the first period in a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Toronto has now failed to register 20 shots on goal in three of their last four outings.
“We had one player that showed up (Saturday), and that was our goalie,” head coach Craig Berube said after the game. “That is really what it boils down to.”
The Ducks will have the chance to snap a six-game losing streak against Toronto, during which they have been outscored 30-11.
