The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be without starting netminders Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, with no timeline for the goalies. Dennis Hildeby has been the Maple Leafs’ backup this season, posting a .927 save percentage and a 2.51 goals against in seven contests. He has one win this season in a 7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hildeby has looked sharp when asked upon this season, but will it be enough going forward for the Maple Leafs? The Maple Leafs are still on the outside looking in for the playoffs this season, and with mounting and concerning injuries, will it be enough to keep pushing in the right direction?
Goaltender Issues
The Maple Leafs have been without goaltender Anthony Stolarz since November 11th. What was deemed not to be a serious injury has looked to take a turn for the worse. We do believe head coach Craig Berube would have thought that he would be back in action by now. Stolarz has yet to skate or show signs of improvement. Anthony Stolarz has not played at the same level as he did last season. In 13 games, he has six wins, an .884 save percentage and a 3.51 goals-against average.
Joseph Woll got injured Thursday night in a dominating win against the Carolina Hurricanes. He stopped 24 of 25 shots before being taken out of the game after the second period. Woll has singularly turned the Maple Leafs’ season around. He has won three of his five appearances this season while posting a .911 save percentage with a 2.75 goals-against average.
The Leafs are still missing crucial players in their lineup past the netminders. They are without shutdown defenceman Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo. Tanev, who suffered an upper-body injury, participated in the morning skate with the Leafs for the first time since November 1st. Brandon Carlo has been out since November 13th and is set for surgery.
This Version of the Leafs
The Maple Leafs have won three games in a row and four of their last five. They currently sit three points outside of a playoff spot. To their rival Montreal Canadiens. They are lucky to have Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies returned into the lineup and playing crucial minutes as they missed time for a brief period in November.
Over this past three game stretch the Leafs have looked like the team that won the Atlantic Division. They destroyed a Pittsburgh team 7-2, beat the Panthers in a playoff-style game 4-1, and dominated a good Hurricanes team 5-1. Joseph Woll stole the show over the past two games, and Leaf fans are hoping Hildeby can play close to that type of play.
Going Forward as Dennis Hildeby the Starting Goalie
The next stretch of Leafs hockey is crucial. They play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Prime Monday Night will be a great test for the Leafs going forward . The San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, and the Edmonton Oilers next Saturday. The Maple Leafs will need Hildeby to be sharp and effective. The Leafs are playing great hockey, and this bump will hopefully not mess with the vibes around the team.
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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