DALLAS — The Dallas Stars had a hunch well before the Toronto Maple Leafs filed onto American Airlines Center ice for Thursday’s morning skate.
Scribbled on the whiteboard inside the home dressing room, Joseph Woll was listed ahead of Ilya Samsonov on the opposition’s goalie depth chart.
Indeed, Woll will remain in the Maple Leafs’ crease as Toronto butts up against its toughest test of this young regular season in Dallas (4-0-1), a stingy and organized veteran group, gathering wins while still looking to get its offence clicking.
“Obviously [Woll] played extremely well. That’s part of it. And the other part, probably equally significant, is it just gives us more time for Sammy here,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained of his starter’s choice.
Woll is rolling. He has won consecutive road games, did not allow an even-strength goal in either appearance and has improved his October stat line to a 1.44 GAA and .958 save percentage.
“Just comes with such a calmness,” Mitch Marner said. “He’s always ready to take on the role whenever called upon, so it’s great to see. Obviously brings a lot of athleticism. Never quits on a puck.”
Conversely, Samsonov has slipped into reset mode following Saturday’s first-period pull in Tampa, where the presumptive No. 1 surrendered three goals on four shots.
Goalie coach Curtis Sanford has been working extra with the 26-year-old Russian, who explains that his mental approach is what’s most important here. To get Samsonov (4.34 GAA, .831) in the proper headspace, the Leafs practised him hard in Washington, gave him a full day off Wednesday, and will be given workouts Thursday and Friday in preparation to start Saturday in Nashville.
A full week to regroup mentally and sharpen his technique.
On the flip side, Dallas too is facing early workload questions.
Woll’s good friend Jake Oettinger is 3-0-1 with a .952 save percentage, and new Stars centre Matt Duchene has crowned him the club’s best player so far.
Yet backup Scott Wedgewood (1-0-0, .900), a Brampton, Ont., native, will get the nod against the Maple Leafs.
Oettinger was granted a full day off the ice for maintenance, and the Stars’ decision-makers have spoken at length behind the scenes about not overtaxing one of the game’s elite netminders. Oettinger played a career-high 62 games last season, then another 19 in the Stars’ run to the Western Conference final.
Finding more work for Wedgewood is a must.
“It’s been a priority since Day One,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said.
Sure, Oettinger would love a chance to look down the ice and try to outduel Woll, with whom he shared a U.S. national team net and battled in some epic Boston University–Boston College games.
He jokes the best-case scenario would be a 0-0 shootout.
But Oettinger, 24, is onboard with his lessened workload and is happy to root for Woll, 25. You know, whenever he’s not trying to snuff out the Stars, of course.
“The fact that we’re both at this level now is pretty cool. And just kind of goes to show you how great USA goaltending is,” Oettinger said.
“Just so happy for him. I think he’s just kind of scratching the surface, and I think he’s gonna be a great goalie for a really long time.”
Maple Leafs projected lineup Thursday in Dallas:
Järnkrok – Matthews – Marner
Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Kämpf – Domi
Gregor – Holmberg – Reaves
Rielly – Brodie
McCabe – Liljegren
Giordano – Klingberg
Woll starts
Samsonov
