Matthew Knies Injury Update: Sheldon Keefe confirms youngster suffered concussion, will miss next two games

Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs left the ice early in the second round against the Florida Panthers after a collision with Sam Bennett. In his third NHL game in the first round, Knies scored his first NHL goal, quickly making a name for himself on the team.

Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe spoke after the game and said that he is not positive about the news he is expecting to receive.

That proved to be the case as he later confirmed that Knies has been diagnosed with a concussion and will miss the next two games. Keefe also said that the youngster is unlikely to make a comeback in the series against Florida Panthers in what will be a huge blow to the Leafs who are already down 2-0.

Matthew Knies leaves game with injury as Toronto Maple Leafs surrender two goal lead in the second period

Matthew Knies had been an excellent addition to the Auston Matthews/William Nylander line. In Game three, he was looking right at home on the Ryan O'Rielly/Noel Accari line. However, in the late first period of Game two, Knies was hit by Bennett on the forecheck. The two players crashed into the boards behind the Panthers' net, with Bennett wrapping his arm around Knies' shoulder and taking him down to the ice.

The collision looked almost WWE-like, with Knies slow to get up. Despite playing one more limited shift, Knies then headed to the dressing room. During the period break, the team announced that Knies would not return to the game.

It was a disappointing turn of events for Knies, who had been making a significant impact on the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs since leaving the University of Minnesota. His absence from the game was noticeable, with the team struggling to maintain the same level of energy without him. The injury left many fans worried about how long Knies would be out of action and the impact it would have on the team's playoff hopes.

Adding insult to injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs immediately struggled with the departure of Matthew Knies. The Leafs nursed a 2-1 lead into the dressing room, then came out slow in the second period. The Florida Panthers scored two goals in the first five minutes of the period to flip the score from a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 lead. The first goal came from Aleksander Barkov 19 seconds into the period, and the second came a minute and six seconds later from Gustav Forsling.

With the combination of the quick goals and the injury, the Maple Leafs were shell shocked. Matthew Knies' absence was a clear blow to the team and their depth for the rest of the period and game. As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to push through the playoffs, they'll need all hands on deck, including the young star who's quickly making a name for himself in the NHL.