Matthews says Leafs better prepared for rematch vs. Bruins

Auston Matthews believes he and his Toronto Maple Leafs are more prepared to take on the Boston Bruins in the playoffs this time around.

The Maple Leafs were bounced by the Bruins in seven games last spring, and Matthews faced significant scrutiny after registering just two points in the series. But now, the face of Toronto's franchise feels the club is ready to erase last season's failure.

"Each year you just gain more and more experience and, from our first now to our third year, you just kind of know what to expect going into it," Matthews said. "It's a battle. I think for all of us, like I said the last couple days, we're extremely hungry and we all feel ready for this challenge."

Matthews is entering the playoffs following the most productive regular season of his three-year career. He registered 73 points in 68 games overall and posted a dominant 58 percent possession rate since the start of March.

Game 1 of the highly anticipated series begins at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday.