Boston — Joseph Woll was aware that he would not be starting in Game 1 of the playoffs.
Ilya Samsonov was given a week off by the Toronto Maple Leafs before to the Stanley Cup run, indicating that the team was definitely leaning toward him in the latter part of the regular season.
Woll didn’t cry or express regret at being overlooked. He just kept his head down and followed the same rigid route.
The rookie’s work ethic was “really obvious to me that he was going to just continue to work,” according to Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe. “And get ready like he was in a game.”
Tuesday presented Woll with the opportunity in an unfriendly setting as his team faced elimination, a scenario he had gone through almost a year prior.
The cool-headed 25-year-old did not bat an eyelash. The Leafs are alive now.
In Toronto’s 2-1 overtime triumph, Woll made 27 stops in his first start in over two weeks, trimming the Boston Bruins’ advantage in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.
Max Domi of the Leafs, who took over as the starting center in lieu of Auston Matthews, described the goalie as “amazing.” “He has been idling about for some time now. demonstrates his maturity and the presence he adds when he moves between the pipes.
The first-round series’ sixth game will take place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday. If needed, Saturday’s game would take place in Boston’s TD Garden.
Following Samsonov’s injury against the Florida Panthers in the spring of last year, Woll experienced his first NHL playoff game in the second round. In that series, he made three appearances, winning Game 4 away from home before Toronto lost Game 5 in overtime at home.
“That experience from last year definitely helped,” Woll said. Woll stopped former junior teammate Trent Frederic five times in the third period and then added five more saves in the extra session on Tuesday. I entered the occasion feeling more at ease. You get a bit more experience each time, and you also pick up lessons from your errors.
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