Craig Berube Makes a Surprising Decision on the Starter vs. Utah Hockey Club
Craig Berube has two goalies he can call upon any night for the Maple Leafs but his starter for Sunday is still fairly surprising.
The Maple Leafs head coach has to thank his lucky stars that he is able to have not one, but two fantastic goaltenders he can use any night. Anthony Stolarz has been as advertised, and finally stamped his status as a starter in the league.
Plus he does ridiculous things like this:
Joseph Woll has returned from his injury troubles this season and while he struggled a little bit for the first couple of games, he's rebounded very well including a 3-0 shutout over the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights.
So the question remains: Who does Craig Berube start against Utah on Sunday night?
We got our answer Sunday morning as it was reported by Mark Masters of TSN that Berube will look to Joseph Woll again for their Utah game.
What This Means For Joseph Woll
It means Joseph Woll is finally turning things around. After landing on the IR at the start of the season, he made his season debut Oct. 24 against St. Louis in a rough homecoming for the netminder. Coming back with a vengeance against Seattle, he settled down and got his first win.
Since starting 1-2-0, Woll has won his last three starts to bring him to 4-2-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .922 SV%; very good numbers despite those couple of struggling games.
It's a confidence boost too for Woll, as he came into the season with such high hopes that were dashed by his injury, and is finally able to turn things around.
His recent success gives Woll a foundation to build upon, and if he can ride this momentum it could be a very scary sign for the opposition.
What This Means For Anthony Stolarz
It's not time to panic yet, that's for sure. There's no indication that Stolarz has lost favor with Berube, and he's simply riding Woll's hot streak coupled with giving Stolarz rest.
For as good as Stolarz is, he can't be overworked. The luxury of having Woll means Stolarz can afford to take the time to have an extra night off, and not be worried about having to carry the team.
So far he's come into this season and shown why Brad Treliving targeted him in free agency. Known as the premier backup in the NHL, Stolarz has been so much more.
Posting a 7-3-2 record with a 2.18 GAA and .927 SV% he has been fantastic so far and been a key reason why Toronto stays in so many games.
Stolarz having a night off isn't the worst thing in the world, and it's a bit of poetry that Stolarz will presumably start the next game against Florida, the team he left this offseason after winning a Stanley Cup.
FAQ: Craig Berube Names Joseph Woll Starter Against Utah
Q1: Why did Craig Berube name Joseph Woll starter?
A1: Craig Berube named Joseph Woll starter for a couple of reasons. First, Joseph Woll has been playing very well and Berube wants to continue riding the hot hand. The head coach also wants to manage Anthony Stolarz's workload so he doesn't get too exhausted.
Q2: Why did Brad Treliving sign Anthony Stolarz?
A2: Brad Treliving signed Anthony Stolarz due to his potential as a starter, his reputation as the NHL's most consistent and elite backup goaltender, and a veteran to help with Joseph Woll's growth. Treliving needed to get better goaltending and targeted the top free agent option and it's led to a lot of success so far.
In closing, Craig Berube chose Joseph Woll not because Anthony Stolarz is struggling; quite the opposite. The momentum Woll is carrying is leading Toronto to success, and giving Stolarz an extra night can only make sure he's extra rested for his next start.
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