Ryan Reaves accidentally leaks Leafs' starting goalie to media
The Leafs have been attempting to keep most information under wraps in the postseason, but on Tuesday, Ryan Reaves accidentally revealed Leafs' starter for Game 5.
Down 3-1 in the series to the Boston Bruins, the Leafs are in desperate need of a win tonight at TD Garden in Boston. In each of the 3 games the Leafs have lost in this series, they have faced multi-goal deficits that they have been unable to overcome. They'll need to avoid digging any more holes tonight in an elimination game.
The Leafs have been very quiet in terms of what types of information they release to the public through the media on game days throughout this series. Injury issues and illnesses have gone without confirmation, and some lineup decisions have been made immediately before the games. However, at least one decision for tonight's game has been leaked by Leafs winger Ryan Reaves, possibly inadvertently.
Reaves confirmed to the media during his post-morning skate availability that the Leafs intend to start Joseph Woll tonight.
Woll has not been called upon in this series until the tail end of Game 4, after Ilya Samsonov had allowed 3 goals through the first 40 minutes. The change was made in an attempt to provide the Leafs with a bit of a spark, down 3-0 in the game. It had the intended effect, as Woll stopped all 5 shots he faced and Mitch Marner did score a goal, but it was too little too late by that point and the Bruins secured a 3-1 win in Game 4 and a 3-1 lead in the series.
If Woll can give the Leafs the type of goaltending we know he's capable of, they can actually make this a series. The team will have to play both tight defensively, and aggressive offensively to avoid digging themselves any more holes, but as long as Woll plays to his potential and keeps the Leafs in the game, anything is possible.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 30 | 793 ANSWERS Ryan Reaves accidentally leaks Leafs' starting goalie to media If Joseph Woll leads the Leafs to victory over the Bruins in Round 1, will Ilya Samsonov see another game of action in the playoffs? | ||
| No. If Woll beats the Bruins, it's his net | 574 | 72.4 % |
| Yes, Sammy will be back in there | 110 | 13.9 % |
| The net should have been Woll's from the start | 109 | 13.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
