TORONTO -- The Maple Leafs welcomed Michael Bunting back from suspension -- but not into their lineup.

Bunting, who served a three-game ban for elbowing and interference on Tampa defenseman Erik Cernak in Game 1 of the Leafs and Lightning Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, skated as an extra at his first practice in a week on Wednesday.

The Leafs have won three straight games with Bunting unavailable. Coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Bunting will not play in Thursday's Game 5 either when Toronto can close out Tampa to advance in a postseason series for the first time since 2004.

"We're just comfortable with the group that's been working here and won three games in a row," said Keefe. "That's it. And it's chemistry with the rest of the group. It makes it not an easy decision because Bunts has played really good hockey for us and is an important guy for our team. He will get back in; it's just not going to be tomorrow."

Toronto lost Game 1 of the series 7-3 and with Bunting out for a stretch, Keefe inserted rookie Matthew Knies into a bottom-six slot. He's not looking back now. Keefe praised Knies on Wednesday as a "very good hockey player" with a "confidence and swagger" that has catapulted Knies all the way onto Toronto's second line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner.

Keefe hasn't shied away from moving players around throughout the series against Tampa. He did a lot of that throughout Game 4, when Toronto trailed 4-1 in the third period before mounting a furious comeback to ultimately down the Lightning 5-4 in overtime.

Seeing his team rally that way was another reason why Keefe didn't want to change personnel upon Bunting's return.

"What I do like about the top-to-bottom six [we have] is part of the decision to not insert Bunting in, [so we're] maintaining that," said Keefe. "We're trying to establish something where we are comfortable playing all four lines. That was our intention going into the series. We thought we were in a good spot that way and had to adjust along the way, which is what we had to do the other night [in Game 4]. The players responded well. We can always make other adjustments if needed, but we like the group [this] way."

Bunting will have to wait for that to change before he steps back in. The 27-year-old was previously skating on Toronto's top line for much of the regular season, notching 23 goals and 49 points in 82 games. It was midway through the second period of Game 1 that he sent an elbow high on Cernak, earning a game misconduct and, eventually, the first suspension of his career. Cernak left the ice following their collision and hasn't dressed for Tampa since; he won't be available in Game 5 either.

In his first public comments on the play, Bunting expressed he "never intended to hurt anyone out there" and that he texted Cernak after Game 1 to check in and wish him a speedy recovery. Bunting's focus though was on moving forward and working his way back into an important role for the Leafs.

"Listen, I want to play, I want to be in the lineup," said Bunting. "And that's what I intend on doing in the future here. I want to be impactful; I want to play my game and do things that helped our team make the playoffs. There's a little adversity for me here, but you know what, I've gone through adversity my whole life and I made it here. So this is another day."