BOSTON — Nikita Zadorov sent Auston Matthews to the dressing room early with a hit from behind on the Maple Leafs captain.

The Boston Bruins defenseman laid a heavy hit on Matthews in the second period that sent him into the boards. Toronto ruled Matthews out with a lower-body injury.

“I think it’s a penalty, personally, but I’m not the referee,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said after the 5-3 loss to the Bruins. “I don’t like it. I don’t like the hit. He’s in a vulnerable position. So, whatever, nothing I can do about it.”

Berube didn’t have an update on Matthews and admitted he wasn’t sure when he got hurt.

John Tavares also wasn’t a fan of the play.

“You don’t like seeing anyone get hit on the numbers,” he said. “Especially our leader and obviously one of the best players in the game and our best player.”

Max Domi, who went after Zadorov after the hit on Matthews, didn’t say too much about the hit.

“I’m not going to comment too much on that stuff. It all stays in the glass out there,“ Domi said. ”But you don’t want to see anyone go down.”

Matthews’ injury was the latest for a Maple Leafs team already without Chris Tanev and Scott Laughton. They know at the end of the day they must have the next-man-up mentality to avoid spiraling further.

“I think as a group, every guy in here is chomping at the bit. Everyone wants an opportunity and here’s our opportunity. Everyone’s got to step up next, man up mentality, and we’re not going to focus on anything other than the next game and the task at hand,” Domi said. And everyone’s got to bring their best. Every game from here on out is like a playoff game. And we’re going to need that kind of intensity day in, day out."