Keefe specifically mentioned that the Barzal line was having its way in the matchups when Matthews wasn’t on the ice, so he ended up playing his top line just as much as Patrick Roy did his top line to the tune of 24-25 minutes in total time-on-ice for Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews by the end of the night.
Keefe’s point that the mismatches of Barzal’s line vs. other Leafs forward lines were so unfavourable to the team that it left him with no other options is a specious one. It leaves out the other options on the table in terms of the team’s line and matchup configuration.