Auston Matthews puts his teeth into his defensive game for the Maple Leafs (2023)

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We’re not sure what hurt Auston Matthews more — His face-first collision with the Leafs’ net on Thursday night, or the subsequent ribbing from teammates when he came back to work Saturday with some dental work.

“From what I saw, he was trying to stay on Sidney Crosby — and the post kind of got in the way,” said defenceman Jake Muzzin. “(His mush) has looked better. It happens. You break teeth along the way. It’s part of the game. I have a few missing and a couple of halves. I’ll fix it when we’re done (playing).”

In a serious vein, Muzzin saluted Matthews’ focus on defensive coverage on that play and all season.

“You’re dialled in. Your attention to detail, your intensity. you’re just trying to prevent a goal and stay hard on those top guys. Sometimes (injuries) happen.”

Matthews missed a few shifts at the end of the 4-1 win but was at Saturday morning’s skate before taking on the St. Louis Blues.

“I saw him this morning, there were some jokes about it,” said centre David Kampf. “Hopefully, he’ll be okay.”

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WELCOME BACK BOZIE

Saturday might be the last time 35-year-old Tyler Bozak plays in Toronto, and while he won a Cup with the Blues, this is where the formative years of his NHL career began, the friendships and where he started a family.

A healthy scratch of late, he was activated by coach Craig Berube for this occasion.

Bozak was interacting with many SBA staff on Saturday morning.

“It was an important time in my life when I kind of grew up,” Bozak said of more than 600 games as a Leaf. “This place definitely holds a special place in my heart.”

Bozak was on the ground floor when the Shanaplan began, mentoring a young Matthews and Mitch Marner.

“We all knew when they first came how good they were going to be and how much potential they had,” Bozak said. “They were already elite players their first years in the league. They are two great kids, I’m still friends with them, still talk to them now and again. It’s exciting to see the path they’re on.”

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Bozak’s youngest child, son Kanon, was a familiar sight at home games five years ago, the toddler high-fiving the Leafs at practice or hanging with mascot Carlton the Bear on game night.

“Oh yeah, he felt like he owned this rink,” laughed Bozak. “He would be walking around everywhere, watching warmups, coming in the locker room. It was a blessing for him to have had that opportunity, especially in a market like this. He always knows he was born in Toronto and he’s proud of that.”

Kanon did do what no young Leaf offspring of that era did, getting to sit in the bowl of the Cup when St. Louis won in 2019.

CHECKING OUT THE TOWN

It will be a couple of weeks before 19-year-old prospect Dmitry Ovchinnikov gets to Canada as he sorts out work permits.

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While there was some debate why Ovchinnikov’s KHL contract with Sibir was terminated, which allowed the forward to get an entry-level deal with the Leafs, his agent, Shumi Babaev, said via text on Saturday it was a mutual decision.

It allows the 2020 fifth-round draft choice to get some experience in the AHL in the coming months with the Marlies and get comfortable in an English-speaking environment, but he will be on loan back to Sibir in 2022-23 where he will get more playing time than this season.

LOOSE LEAFS

Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was hoping to have secured centre Adam Brooks off waivers, but he was scooped by the Jets on Friday, the second time Toronto lost its former pick on the wire this season. “I coached him a long time. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and appreciation for what he’d done, winning a Calder Cup and his time with us last season,” Keefe said. “He wasn’t going to be starting with us (now), but if this move keeps him in the NHL, there was no better place he was going to go. He’s a proud Winnipeger and to be with the Jets is good for him” … Vladimir Tarasenko was not in the Blues’ lineup Saturday because of what Berube called a day-to-day injury to his leading scorer. That helped open the door for Bozak, while in another roster move, the Blues called up ex-Leaf defenceman Calle Rosen … Nick Robertson had a goal and assist in the Marlies’ 5-4 overtime loss to Belleville on Saturday.

lhornby@postmedia.com