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Craig Berube is breaking with recent tradition.
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The Maple Leafs coach confirmed that Joseph Woll will be in net against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena.
With Woll getting the start, Berube is stepping away from the goaltending rotation that he has used for the past six games. Woll made 31 saves against the Vegas Golden Knights for his second National Hockey League shutout on Wednesday, and he gets the opportunity against Utah in its first visit to Toronto.
“He had a really good game against Vegas, and we’re just thinking ahead,” Berube said, following the Leafs’ optional morning skate, of the decision to start Woll.
“Stoli has played a lot. He’s working in practice and doing a lot of good things. That’s about it. We make decisions on what we think is best for the goalies and the team.”
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Berube acknowledged he is keeping the workload of Stolarz, who never has played in more than 28 games in a single NHL season, in mind. Stolarz is 7-3-2 in 12 games with a .927 save percentage.
Woll is getting into a groove after groin tightness delayed his start to the season. It’s just the second time in 2024-25 that he will make consecutive starts.
“Both goalies are going to see more net than they have in the past, so it’s important that we manage that to the best of our abilities,” Berube said. “And like I said, Woll is coming off a real solid game against a real good team, and we wanted to go back with him.”
It’s possible, then, that Stolarz will start in the Leafs’ next game, which happens to be against his former club. That would be on Wednesday in Florida versus the defending Stanley Cup champion on Panthers.
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The Leafs are 6-1 in their past seven games without captain Auston Matthews (upper body), but it’s clear his time on the sideline is coming to an end.
Matthews, who has not played since Nov. 3, was a participant in the optional skate. His puck work looked normal, as he shot with velocity and accuracy.
Is Berube expecting Matthews to take part in the Leafs’ next practice, likely on Tuesday?
“I hope so,” Berube said. “We’ll just play that by ear right now. That’d be great if he could. We’ll know where he’s at.”
Matthew Knies (upper body) skated before the optional and was feeling good afterward, Berube said.
Like anyone in Leafs Nation, the Leafs players were greatly anticipating the Nylander brothers’ first game together after Alex signed with the team on Friday. He and William are slated to play on different lines, but that didn’t curb the enthusiasm in the room.
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“That’s pretty sweet,” Fraser Minten said. “Playing with your brother in minor hockey is pretty special, never mind the NHL. It will be fun to watch both of them fly out there.”
Minten last season got the chance to briefly play with his brother Bryce with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League.
“That was really cool,” Minten said. “I got a very small sample size. Even at the junior level, it’s pretty amazing. So I can’t imagine how cool it is for (the Nylanders to do it in the NHL).”
Utah ended a three-game losing skid with a 6-1 romp in Pittsburgh against the lowly Penguins on Saturday night.
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