Joseph Woll was a late scratch in Game 7 due to an undisclosed injury suffered towards the end of Game 6.
In the dying seconds of a must-win Game 6 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a game in which they led 2-0, the Boston Bruins scored with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock – a rather meaningless goal upon first glance. However, this is believed to have been the play that saw goaltender Joseph Woll awkwardly stretch cross-crease as he attempted to save Morgan Geekie’s last-second shot, causing an injury that kept him out of action in Game 7.
Joseph Woll did not suit up for Toronto’s 2-1 overtime loss in Game 7 against Boston after previously appearing in Games 4, 5, and 6. Instead, to the sudden surprise of the hockey world, a report had leaked an hour before puck drop that Ilya Samsonov could be between the pipes for the Maple Leafs’ win-or-go-home game against the Bruins.
That report was confirmed as Samsonov led the Maple Leafs out onto the ice for warm-ups, with Martin Jones being implemented as the backup.
Despite stopping 29 of 31 shots and posting a .935 save percentage, Samsonov and the Leafs dropped their fourth straight Game 7 against the Bruins by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Samsonov posted a 1-3-1 record in the postseason with a .896 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average.
Postgame, Keefe was asked about the absence of Woll, to which he described the circumstances that led to Samsonov starting in Game 7.
“Joe was injured late in the game the other night in game six. And obviously, we didn't practice yesterday, we traveled, and it wasn't any better. In fact, it was a little bit worse yesterday,” Keefe told reporters.
Even though there was a chance Woll was not going to be able to go, he was “gonna do all that he could to try to be ready,” Keefe noted.
That was the process that played out in the morning skate, which Woll was a part of. As mentioned, Keefe highlighted the fact that they still had thought Woll could play. Ultimately, we know that is not what ended up happening.
Instead, the result of that was notifying Samsonov of the possibility that he could be playing – at about two o’clock on Friday.
“We just prepared for it, like, yesterday. And just to know about maybe two o'clock or something,” Samsonov explained.
“We had told Samsonov that he had to stay ready last night,” Keefe said.
As the morning skate took place, Samsonov was still preparing to play in Game 7 even though he may not. Working with Goalie Coach Curtis Sanford, he was still working through parts of his normal routine.
It wasn't until the afternoon ahead of Game 7 that the team determined that Joseph wouldn't be available. The extent or exact premise of the injury is yet to be discussed in detail.
Woll posted a 2-0-0 record with a 0.86 goals against average and .964 save percentage in three appearances in the Maple Leafs’ opening-round series.
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