Over their past two games, the Toronto Maple Leafs came back hard to take home a 4-3 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Then, on Tuesday night in Washington, they beat a hard-working Capitals team by a score of 4-1. The crucial connection between those games was young goalie Joseph Woll. He was outstanding in both games.
Against the Lightning, a series of defensive breakdowns and Ilya Samsonov’s inability to make key saves led to the Lightning taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the first period. After only four shots on his net, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe made the decision to pull Samsonov from the game. He had posted a disappointing .250 save percentage (SV%).
What Joseph Woll Has Accomplished Over His Past Two Games
Woll stepped up in a significant way after Samsonov’s departure. He stabilized the team by stopping all 29 shots he faced. He was on his game from the moment he skated into the crease. Without Woll’s steady performance, the Maple Leafs would not have come close to winning that game.
In Tuesday night’s game against the Capitals, Woll was the star in the team’s 4-1 win. He made an impressive 36 saves – even stopping the world-class Alex Ovechkin 13 times – including on a penalty shot. Finally, Woll conceded a power-play goal near the end of the second period. No surprise, from Ovechkin’s stick.
Some Hockey Analysts Believe There’s a Goalie Controversy in Toronto
While some hockey analysts suggest that Woll’s standout performances have added yeast to a goalie controversy brewing in Toronto, I say they’re a step behind in that parade. There’s no longer a goalie controversy. The battle for the starting goalie position has been resolved.
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Right now, Woll is the better goalie. His skills are exceptional and undeniable. In both his last games, he has shown his skills from stopping pucks to controlling rebounds to being agile enough to get in front of one-timers. Although Ovechkin finally found the net, ending Woll’s shutout bid, Ovie’s done that a few times in his career. So Woll shouldn’t carry that burden very heavily.
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When last night’s third period ensued, Woll faced an aggressive Capitals team trying like crazy to mount a comeback. They could get no closer than two goals. Good on Woll.
What It Means for the Maple Leafs Goalies Going Forward
For the second game in a row, Woll was the best player on the ice for either team. Over those two games, he stopped 64 of the 65 shots he faced. According to Naturalstattrick.com 32 (almost exactly half) of those shots were high-danger scoring chances. In the three games Woll has played this season, he has a 0.957 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.44 goals-against-average (GAA). Over his past three seasons, Woll’s played 14 regular season games for the Maple Leafs and has a record of 11-3. His SV% over those 14 games is 0.931 and his GAA is 2.19.
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Woll’s ability to pass Samsonov in a competition for starts is a positive development for the Maple Leafs. It creates a competition that can (at the least) elevate the team’s goaltending performance and lead to more strategic decisions regarding the starting goaltender. Woll’s strong performances as a starter clearly show him to be a better option right now than Samsonov.
What Makes Woll Such a Good Goalie?
Three things make Woll a strong starting goalie. First, he displays a steady demeanor in high-pressure situations. In that, Woll has shown his ability to maintain a calm and composed demeanor, even when thrust into a high-pressure situation absolutely cold. His mental fortitude allows him to dial in and focus on the task at hand. That was evident when he entered the Lightning game in relief. His composure helped the Maple Leafs regain their footing and ultimately secure a dramatic overtime win.
Second, Woll’s stellar play in his last two games carried his team to wins. In the first game, the team got lucky to pull the comeback. However, luck aside, if Woll had not stopped everything that came his way, they would have lost. With one tiny slip-up, the game is gone!
In the second game, the team was fortunate to have Woll in the net from the get-go. The 4-1 win on Tuesday night was comfortable, only because Woll stopped so many high-danger chances. In both games together, he had near-perfect performances. He simply “goalied” the Capitals. Without his exceptional play, neither win would have been possible. When Woll steps in, he steps up.
The third thing I believe makes Woll a good starter is his commitment to living a fulsome and balanced life. He’s happy in his own skin. His Zen-like demeanor off the ice adds to his ability to stay focused and perform under pressure. His balanced approach to life, which suggests he’s aware there’s more to life than hockey, allows him to keep an even keel when pucks might bounce the wrong way – as they so often do.
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He’s calm and mentally clear. Along with skill, both these are valuable assets for a goalie who plays in a scrutinizing market like Toronto.
Why the Jury Is No Longer Out on Woll as the Maple Leafs Starter
I can list several reasons why Woll has made the so-called goalie controversy moot. His play has rendered it irrelevant, meaningless, and no longer worthy of discussion. The question lost it’s significance when Woll’s play answered it with an exclamation point.
Woll’s ability to excel both in relief and as a starter underscores his readiness to be the team’s starter. During both the playoffs and the regular season, he’s stepped into the net and has given his team a chance to win every time.
Woll’s calm and focused demeanor is a characteristic of successful NHL goalies. It allows him to stay focused, make critical saves, and handle high-pressure moments. Interestingly to me, he handles all this gracefully. Readers might ask what “grace” has to do with mental strength. To me, it’s representative of his confidence.
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Finally, Woll is a bona fide NHL starter because time after time, he’s been a game-changer. He’s proven two games in a row that his play has changed the course of a game. How confident is a team when it knows that, if things go awry, they have a competent puck-stopping last line of defense?
For all these reasons, I believe Woll should be the Maple Leafs starting goalie.