Anthony Stolarz will be out 4-6 weeks as the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender undergoes a procedure to remove a "loose body" in his knee. How will the Maple Leafs adjust without their top goalie? The Toronto Maple Leafs earned their 20th win of the season on Wednesday, rallying from an early deficit to secure a 5-3 victory against the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/] and improve their road record to 6-6-2 on the season. Joseph Woll was the star of the night, turning aside 36 shots to earn a .923 save percentage while limiting a strong Stars offense and extending Toronto’s winning streak against Dallas to seven games – and nine of their last 11. Woll’s heroics contrast with the struggles of his former U.S. National teammate Jake Oettinger, who allowed four goals on just eight shots. Oettinger, who had been on a remarkable run at home with an 8-1-0 record, a 1.77 goals-against average, and a .931 save percentage in his last nine starts, was pulled after two periods. Casey DeSmith took over goaltending duties in the third. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube credited Woll’s composure in net as a key to the team’s victory, rising to the occasion in his first start since the recent news of injured Anthony Stolarz. “He was great tonight. We needed him to be really good,” Berube explained post-game. “Against a real good team at home. They have a good home record. They're hard to beat. So we needed him to be good, and he was. But it gives our team confidence to go. It plays a lot into it.” The team’s decision-making and overall play weren’t at their sharpest, but Woll’s performance provided the stability they needed to find a spark, turning aside 36 of 39 shots faced. His play was, without a doubt, what swung the momentum and turned the tide in the Maple Leafs’ favor. “He was standing on his head. He made a couple of huge saves there at the end,” said William Nylander. “Just putting the team on his back in these situations.” One play in particular was on Roope Hintz, stopping a breakaway opportunity for the forward that led to an eventual game-tying goal from Nylander. “It’s a big deal, you know. Like I said, he was our best player tonight,” Berube said. “He was really good.” The Leafs were outshot by the Stars 39-19 in the game and 15-4 in the opening frame. Led by the steady presence of the 26-year-old in the crease – backboning a comeback victory despite yet another slow start and lack of efficiency on offense – Woll’s teammates had trust and confidence he’d lead the way. “He's a great goaltender. He's a competitor. He doesn't panic,” said Nick Robertson. “The last couple minutes of the game, he's very calm and collective. He helped us get the win tonight, for sure.” “It's just composure. It feels calm, cool back there. We trust him all the time,” teammate Bobby McMann added. “Technically always very sound. Looks like he's square to the shot and I don't think he's given up a lot to shoot that. He did great back there and also he showed his athleticism on a couple of saves there, which saved us a game.” WOLL REACTS TO VICTORY OVER OETTINGER Surely out dueling his close friend and former teammate, Oettinger, in their first matchup at the NHL level earned him some bragging rights – right? “No, probably not,” explained Woll. “I think we're probably pretty even if you go back through the games at BU and American League. We'll reassess that at the end of our careers, I think, who gets bragging rights.” While the night belonged to Woll, he reflected on his history with Oettinger after the game. The two were teammates with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2014-2016 and competed in tournament play at the World Juniors. “Yeah, it's a cool moment. I spent a lot of time on the same team, a lot of time on the other team, and played with him at every level now, so I look forward to hopefully playing him a lot more down the road,” said Woll. Woll mentioned that the two stay in touch throughout the season and since they last played together, describing Oettinger as “an awesome person.” “I was lucky to share the net with him for a few years, and every time I get to play him, it's fun. He's obviously a heck of a goalie and a very special player and a special guy,” he added. The Stars visit the Leafs for their lone matchup in Toronto in mid-January with perhaps another opportunity to see the two duel it out once again. Through 13 games played, Woll boasts a 9-4-0 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.30 goals-against average. In the absence of Stolarz over at least the next month, the Leafs will need to rely on his steady play – anticipating a heavy workload going forward with a busy schedule after the holidays. "Having the knowledge that I might be leaned on a bit more is good to know. I'll make sure I prepare accordingly," Woll said on the Sportsnet broadcast post-game [https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/1869585127027953844].
