The Toronto Maple Leafs are sticking with what they’ve got-and that includes goaltender Joseph Woll-as they prepare for a crucial Wednesday night clash with the Detroit Red Wings. The stakes? Avoiding a season sweep at the hands of a divisional rival that’s quietly been one of the NHL’s hottest teams.
Toronto dropped both previous matchups to Detroit earlier this season, losing 6-3 in Motown and then falling 3-2 on home ice just two days later. And while the Red Wings haven’t exactly been a juggernaut in recent years, they’ve found their stride lately, winning six of their last seven games and climbing into the thick of the Atlantic Division battle.
The Leafs, for their part, had been riding a wave of strong play before Monday night’s 6-3 stumble against the Minnesota Wild-a game that head coach Craig Berube clearly believes was more of an outlier than a cause for panic. Rather than shake things up, Berube is doubling down on the same lineup, including Woll, who’s had a rough go of it lately with 11 goals allowed in his last two starts.
“With the travel and everything, our team wasn’t at our best,” Berube said after the team’s optional skate on Wednesday. “I don’t think we gave him the opportunity to be successful in that game. He’s been our guy, so that’s why I’m going with him.”
That’s a strong show of confidence in Woll, especially considering the numbers. But Berube’s message is clear: this is about the group, not just the goalie. And if the Leafs are going to snap Detroit’s hold on the season series, they’ll need a full-team response.
Also gutting it out is forward Matthew Knies, who continues to play through a lower-body injury that he admits isn’t going away anytime soon. Despite not being at 100%, Knies picked up a point in the loss to Minnesota and was one of the Leafs’ more noticeable skaters.
“It’s one of those that the more you play, the more wear and tear on it, it’s not really going to get better,” Knies said. “The Christmas break obviously helped a lot.
It’s a pretty tough schedule we have right now, playing every other day. Recovery is pretty important.”
And he’s not wrong. The Leafs are in the middle of a demanding stretch, where games are coming fast and recovery windows are short. That makes Wednesday night’s tilt all the more important-not just for standings, but for momentum.
Toronto and Detroit hit the ice at 7:00 p.m. ET, with the Leafs looking to right the ship and prove that Monday’s misfire was just that-a misfire.