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Leafs' Auston Matthews ready for home debut

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TORONTO

Claude Julien didn’t spend the past few days examining every bit of Auston Matthews’ historic National Hockey League debut.

Julien, the coach of the Boston Bruins, knows exactly what Matthews has the potential to bring each time he takes a shift for the Maple Leafs.

“I saw four goals,” Julien said of Matthews’ game against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

“He is a good player. We saw him here at the World Cup, he is one of those young players like the (Connor) McDavids in this league that are going to be outstanding players and has skills, size, he has everything.

“We’re not at the point right now of saying we are shadowing a guy like that, but you certainly have to know when he is on the ice and where he is on the ice because he has that knack to get himself open.”

Matthews was eagerly anticipating his home debut with the Leafs against the Bruins on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.

“I think it’s going to be awesome,” Matthews said following the morning skate.

And what did he learn in his first game?  Matthews was upset for not properly covering Kyle Turris, who scored the overtime winner.

“Not to be too over-aggressive and let your man get by you,” said Matthews, who will have as many as eight family members and friends in the stands at the ACC, including parents Brian and Ema.

The Bruins won’t have centre Patrice Bergeron, who will miss the game because of a lower-body injury. Bergeron remains day to day, Julien said.

Frederik Andersen will be in net for the Leafs, while it’s expected Tuukka Rask gets the call for Boston.

The game will begin after a lengthy pre-game ceremony honouring the Leafs’ 100th anniversary.

“It’s 100 years and it is an Original Six team,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “I went to Legends Row the other night and it was spectacular.

“So there is tons of history here. Our job is to create the next 100 years, get ready for the game and that’s what we will do. I think it should be a good atmosphere here tonight.”

Forward James van Riemsdyk was tickled when he learned that he had cracked the top 100 players in Leafs history, making the list at No. 100. He’s only current Leaf on the list, which included pal Phil Kessel at No. 48 and former captain Dion Phaneuf at No. 88.

“With a franchise with as much history and tradition as there is here, those sorts of things are definitely cool to be a part of just because of all the great players and teams that have been here before,” van Riemsdyk said. “Definitely an exciting thing to be a part of that. Awesome.”

The Leafs won’t have to worry about Bergeron, but Brad Marchand could pose a major problem. Marchand is coming off a five-point game in the Bruins’ opener, a victory against Columbus on Thursday.

“Bergy is a real smart player but Marchy brings a lot to the table too,” said Babcock, who coached both at the World Cup with Canada.

“Any time you are around the best players in the world and you feel like you are important player on that team and you learn how to win one more time, winning is an amazing thing and so is earning the right to feel good about yourself and confidence comes on.

“We’re going to have make sure he has not too much room tonight.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

Twitter: @koshtorontosun 

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