'Hope We Get Through It Without Them Throwing Anything At Us': Devils Head Coach Sheldon Keefe Prepares for First Meeting Against Maple Leafs Since Fired From Club
Signs point to Anthony Stolarz getting back-to-back starts while Bobby McMann appears set to make his season debut.
NEWARK, N — Barring any changes at the last minute, it appears the Toronto Maple Leafs are set to go with Anthony Stolarz in net once again when the club visits the New Jersey Devils.
Stolarz was solid in his Maple Leafs debut on Wednesday making 26 saves on 27 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre.
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Stolarz was a surprise starter as the Maple Leafs when word broke on Wednesday that Joseph Woll was not going to play due to lower-body tightness. The Maple Leafs called up Dennis Hildeby for the two-game trip. And with back-to-back games, there was some thought that the Leafs may finally turn to the big Swedish goaltending prospect to make his season debut.
The Leafs have three games in four days as they play on Saturday at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Woll will not be available for any of them.
"He has a nice calmness in his game and he moves extremely well for a guy of his size," Stolarz said of Hildeby. "Just his demeanor off the ice, you know, you can kind of see it that he has that, you know, calm, cool and collected. And, you know, if that opportunity arises for him, then, you know, I'll be excited for him."
Stolarz was not on the ice at Prudential Center this morning while Hildeby was putting in some work, suggesting the Leafs will ride Stolarz again and allow for what was probably the plan before Woll got hurt, to have the Edison, New Jersey start in his hometown.
There's no guarantee that Hildeby gets into any games at all in the span while Woll is out. There is also the possibility that the Leafs could elect to go with Matt Murray.
After Murray cleared waivers, the goaltender is only allowed to be sent down without requiring waivers again, so long he hasn't played 10 games or accumulated 30 days on the roster since the last clearing. Thus, it would make no sense to have Murray up and burn days, while Hildeby can be sent freely up and down.
Meanwhile, it looks like Bobby McMann may draw in the lineup for Ryan Reaves on Thursday. Reaves, Timothy Liljjegren and Philippe Myers were the only skaters on the ice working with Hilldeby.
Reaves had a team-low 7:36 of ice time against the Canadiens.
McMann had 15 goals and 9 assists in 56 games last season. The forward signed a two-year extension worth $1.35 million, which kicked in at the beginning of this season.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube is scheduled to speak a couple of hours before gametime where he''ll likely confirm the lineup.
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