The worst is confirmed for Auston Matthews

The Toronto Maple Leafs have just confirmed the worst news for their fanbase: Auston Matthews' season is officially over. The captain sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion on March 12 during the second period of the team’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. Matthews will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, but will miss the remainder of the regular season.

Late in the second period Thursday night, Leafs captain Auston Matthews was taken down by a dangerous knee-on-knee collision with Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks. The incident occurred just after Matthews received a pass near the Ducks’ net. Despite trying to avoid contact, he was sent crashing to the ice and remained down for several tense moments before being helped to the dressing room. Matthews did not return due to a lower-body injury and is being re-evaluated today. Officials assessed Gudas a five-minute major and game misconduct for the play.

No suspension has been announced for Gudas yet (to be announced).

To add injure to injury, none of Matthews’ teammates immediately confronted Gudas, who is also the one who ended Canadian captain Sidney Crosby’s Olympics in the quarterfinals with a hit.

Now the Leafs lose their captain for the remainder of the season and many fans expect Toronto to miss out on the playoffs.

Matthews, who had already scored his 27th goal of the season earlier in the game after being held scoreless since the Olympic break, had 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games this season.