Leafs riding high without Matthews

But star centre could be back for Thursday

The Toronto Maple Leafs dearly want Auston Matthews back in the lineup.

At the same time, they’re fine with how they’re getting along without their young superstar. In the midst of a four- day break between games — their longest such respite to this point of the 2017-18 regular season — the Leafs are bumping up against the quarter-pole point in the season riding a four- game win streak, including three without Matthews and his dizzying array of skills.

“The coaching staff hasn’t come in and said, ‘ Hey, our best player is out, so just go do your best,’ ” defenceman Connor Carrick said Monday after the Leafs practised at the MasterCard Centre.

“( With a player of Matthews’ stature out), sometimes you can get better honesty within your game in terms of having to really do it right shift in and shift out and wear ( the opposition) out because the player who is most dynamic in your lineup is not playing.

“Depth is something that has been talked about a lot and we’re seeing it. We’re fortunate to have it.”

Matthews, believed to be dealing with a back issue, has not skated with his team since Nov. 6, when he had an assist in the Leafs’ 4-3 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights at Air Canada Centre.

That could change within the next couple of days.

Matthews skated on his own Monday, was scheduled to do so again Tuesday as his teammates were given the day off and was expected by coach Mike Babcock to participate in practice Wednesday.

It’s possible Matthews — the team’s scoring leader with 19 points in 16 games — will play in the Leafs’ next game Thursday at Air Canada Centre versus the New Jersey Devils.

“He has to practise with the team to know that,” Babcock said. “We will see (then) if he is ready to go or not.”

Matthews wasn’t the lone Leaf absent from the ice Monday after the players had Sunday off following their 4-1 win in Boston Saturday. Centre Tyler Bozak was given a maintenance day and forward William Nylander was sick.

With four consecutive wins on the heels of a difficult road swing and a record of 127- 0 overall giving the Leafs a sense of comfort, there was some levity in the dressing room after Babcock put them through a strenuous on- ice workout.

Leo Komarov was asked about the peck on the cheek he received from Bruins forward Brad Marchand during the game Saturday.

“I told him I have a wife and a baby, so I can’t do it right now,” Komarov deadpanned.

And you didn’t let it bother you?

“No,” Komarov said. “I kind of liked it.”

The good mood aside, the Leafs will be a happier bunch once Matthews is back. While there have been productive performances from Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk, who have supplied four points each in the past couple of games, and Patrick Marleau, who has scored in each of the past three games, there’s no telling how successful the Leafs would have been without the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and Curtis McElhinney and the penalty killing of Ron Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev, Komarov and Zach Hyman.

“We need to continue to get better and play with more detail,” Babcock said. “I think we’ve done a nice job here of late. We have lots of things to work on.

“The last time we got feeling good (about themselves), we stopped working.”

And, the Leafs hope, Matthews again will soon be a part of the process.

“We know we can (win without Matthews),” Nazem Kadri said. “( But) he’s irreplaceable.”