Maple Leafs Fall Short in OT as Atlantic Rivals Pull Away
The Toronto Maple Leafs are starting to feel the weight of the Atlantic Division race - and it’s not leaning in their favor. After a 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night, the Leafs find themselves slipping further behind in the standings. Nine points back of Detroit, 10 behind Tampa Bay, and still on the outside looking in when it comes to the wild-card picture, this latest result at Scotiabank Arena was another tough pill to swallow.
Despite the loss, the story of the night was Joseph Woll. Making his return to the crease after a rocky stretch and some time away, Woll looked sharp and composed, turning aside 39 shots and giving Toronto a real chance to steal two points.
He stood tall through a flurry of Detroit power plays, including a point-blank save on J.D. Compher and a massive stop on Alex DeBrincat in overtime.
But with time winding down in the extra frame, Dylan Larkin capped off a 2-on-1 rush and sealed the win for the Red Wings.
That marked Toronto’s ninth loss in overtime or shootout this season - already double their total from all of last year. It's become a troubling trend for a team that simply can’t afford to leave points on the table in a crowded playoff race.
Head coach Craig Berube backed his decision to start Woll, and the young netminder rewarded that faith. It’s been a challenging season for Toronto’s goaltending group, with five different goalies seeing action so far.
Between injuries and personal absences, the crease has been a revolving door. But goalie coach Curtis Sanford has kept the group afloat, helping Woll regain form, getting Anthony Stolarz back from a two-month injury, and preparing rookie Dennis Hildeby for NHL action on short notice.
“He’s excellent,” Berube said of Sanford. “He challenges them, expects excellence, and that’s what we need to win games.
It’s a tough position - mentally and physically - and there's a lot of pressure. But he keeps them focused.”
On the defensive side, the Leafs had to adjust once again. Philippe Myers sat for the second straight game, with Simon Benoit drawing in.
Brandon Carlo and Jake McCabe took on heavy minutes, with McCabe logging over 28 minutes of ice time. Carlo praised the group’s effort under pressure.
“We kept our shifts short, didn’t make bad decisions, and the forwards helped us out a lot,” Carlo said. “We’ve got good communication with our goalies - I love playing in front of Joe. We’re pretty spoiled with the depth we have in net.”
Carlo also highlighted the continued growth of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who’s taken on a larger role on the back end.
“He means so much to us,” Carlo said. “His playmaking, his calmness - he’s taken his game to another level. And his stick work is just elite.”
The Leafs are now 0-1-1 on this five-game homestand, and with the standings tightening, every point matters. The margin for error is vanishing quickly. Toronto’s goaltending is giving them a chance - now it’s on the rest of the roster to find a way to close out games when it counts.