Maple Leafs trainer Craig Berube does not seem like he is stressed.
Not when it concerns the Leafs’ goaltending, as irregular as it has actually gone to times considering that the 4 Nations Face-Off break finished.
“Little up and down, but they have had real good games too,” Berube informed media in Los Angeles after the Leafs practiced onFriday “Little bit like our game, a little bit inconsistent at times, but they have played really well for us this year.
“They have been really solid. They’re going to have off-nights like everybody has off-nights.”
With 10 video games continuing to be in the routine period, currently has to do with the moment that a person of Anthony Stolarz or Joseph Woll ought to be taking the starter’s round and keeping up it.
But after Woll was unstable in a 6-5 shootout loss in San Jose versus the Sharks on Thursday to begin the Leafs’ three-game journey with California, Berube really did not instantly reveal Stolarz as the starter for Saturday’s video game in L.A. versus the Kings.
“Maybe,” was Berube’s reaction when he was asked whether Stolarz would certainly remain in objective.
There has actually been talk outside regarding which goalkeeper the Leafs would certainly like to have in internet for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, yet actually, what it ought to boil down to is that plays ideal in what remains of the routine period.
Whether it’s Stolarz or Woll, each needs to have an uptick in his video game in his continuing to be begins.
The varieties of both goalkeepers have glided considering that the 4 Nations break finished.
Prior to the break, Stolarz played in 18 video games, going 10-5-2 with a. 929 conserve percent and a 2.08 goals-against standard; considering that, he has actually played in 10 video games, going 5-3-1 with a. 895 conserve percent and 2.96 goals-against standard.
For Woll, the pre-break document was 19-11-0 in 30 video games, with a. 909 conserve percent and a 2.65 goals-against standard; considering that, he is 5-2-1 in 8 video games with a. 892 conserve percent and a 3.42 goals-against standard.
The following ready Stolarz will certainly be his 29th, a career-high. Woll’s 38 video games are a career-high, as his previous high was 25.
“That’s part of the rotation we have used,” Berube stated regarding taking care of the work in internet. “These guys have not had that much work in their career ever. I think we have managed it well with the rotation.
“I think they are in a good spot. I don’t think they are overused or tired, not sensing that and I’m not sensing that from them.”
On top of the rise in job, Stolarz needed to manage a knee concern that maintained him out for almost 2 months.
“I feel really good about it,” Stolarz stated of his video game considering that the 4 Nations break. “My job is to come in here and win games. Doesn’t matter if you give one, two, four or five.
“If you get scored on, you have to forget about the goal, worry about the next shot because you can’t do anything about the last one. There is a lot of positives in my game that (goalie coach) Curtis (Sanford) and I have been working on, a couple of little things. Getting extra work with him last couple of days has been huge and I really like (his own) last two games against the Rangers and Flyers.”
Whoever enjoys from the bench on Saturday will certainly obtain the begin on Sunday in Anaheim versus the Ducks.
For Woll, the secret is to ignore his bad play in San Jose.
“I don’t think it was my best performance,” Woll stated. “I know that and the important thing is to have a short memory.
“I will do the work of making sure I’m learning from the experiences as best I can and staying in my process as well as I can. From a team standpoint, I thought it was pretty awesome by the guys to come back and score two late ones (in the final minute of the third period).
“It was pretty cool to see them pick up the slack for me a little bit like that.”
LOOSENED FALLEN LEAVES
Berube, as is his method, had an uncomplicated solution regarding the Leafs’ enhanced protective play all at once this period. “More than anything, it’s just a commitment,” Berube stated. “Defence is a commitment. I don’t care what system you play, teams win with different types of systems. It’s a commitment to doing it and doing the little things within that system that really buckle you down defensively.” It aids, naturally, that the Leafs authorized defenceman Chris Tanev to lead because location … After captain Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner both played greater than 25 mins in San Jose, each took the choice of not practicing on Friday … Berube stated ahead Pontus Holmberg will certainly return in after he was scraped the previous 2 video games, yet Berube stated he was unsure that would certainly be remaining … Woll on the objective by the Sharks’ William Eklund, which came when Woll mistakenly banked the puck right into the internet off the skate of the hard-charging Eklund: “Just a bad play. Sometimes you make bad plays. I think I was looking up ice and the brain turned off for a second.”
tkoshan@postmedia.com
