Joseph Woll faces career-defining moment as Leafs hang hopes on him after Game 3 OT heartbreaker

Joseph Woll isn’t just the Leafs’ goalie anymore, he’s their last shot at keeping this playoff run alive. After a brutal overtime loss in Game 3 to the Florida Panthers , the 26-year-old netminder has officially stepped into the spotlight, and what happens over the next few games could shape his entire NHL future. With Toronto’s season hanging in the balance, Woll is facing what might be the most important week of his life on ice.

One soft goal, one game lost, Joseph Woll needs to bounce back fast

Let’s talk about the elephant in the rink: that goal by Florida’s Jonah Gadjovich. In a series where every game has been decided by a single goal, Woll’s Game 3 slip-up couldn’t have come at a worse time. Even though he’s technically outplayed Sergei Bobrovsky so far (.869 SV% vs. .840), one bad goal was enough to give Florida the win and enough to raise eyebrows in Leafs Nation.

We’ve seen Joseph Woll enter a playoff series off the bench and play solid before and damnit he’s gonna do it again!pic.twitter.com/30blWkz84K https://t.co/r7wJaRGl4k

— Rink Rat Report (@RinkRatReport) May 7, 2025

But Woll isn’t sweating it. “You just shake it off,” he said postgame, clearly keeping his head on straight. And honestly? That’s the attitude he needs right now.

🚨🎙️ Joseph Woll following the game 3 OT loss:

“Shake it off. Bounces go both ways in hockey. Just came out on the wrong side. We've done a good job all year of sticking to our process. That's what we fall back on."

— @sunhornby #leafsforever

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) May 10, 2025

Anthony Stolarz, who held it down in Round 1, is recovering from a head injury and hasn’t even returned to the ice. Translation? This is Woll’s net now. No more backup role. No more rotation. He has a golden opportunity to rewrite the “injury-prone” narrative that’s followed him since last season’s Game 7 scratch. If he can stay healthy and consistent, this could be his official coming-out party.

"If [Anthony] Stolarz plays tonight, the Leafs have a 3-0 series lead."@JDBunkis & @SamAMcKee discuss Joseph Woll's shaky performance in Game 3. #LeafsForever #TimeToHunt

💻 https://t.co/ZlwgyScxkN
🎧 https://t.co/z3zjD4XoYN pic.twitter.com/Mc3MrHLujZ

— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) May 10, 2025

And with Bobrovsky looking shaky, posting his worst playoff SV% in 11 postseason runs, Woll has a real shot to be the difference-maker here.

Panthers are testing him physically, and the Leafs know it

The Panthers aren’t just shooting, they’re storming the crease. They’re throwing high dump-ins to force Woll out of position, crashing the net, and trying to make his life miserable. Coach Craig Berube even called it “designed.” Woll’s not the most aggressive puck-handler, and he’s definitely quieter in net than Stolarz, so it’s clear the Panthers are trying to exploit that.

But the Leafs aren’t blind to it. Matthew Knies admitted Florida’s crease-crowding tactics are working and Toronto’s defense needs to do a better job of clearing bodies and giving Woll the space to see shots cleanly.

Can Joseph Woll be the hero the Leafs need?

Joseph Woll's save percentages

Game 1: .850
Game 2: .893
Game 3: .861

Craig Berube: “I thought he was really good. I don’t love the fourth goal. But other than that, I thought he was solid.”

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) May 10, 2025

Look, no one’s asking Woll to be a brick wall. They just need him to be one save better than Bobrovsky. That’s it. And in a razor-thin series like this, that could be the difference between heartbreak and history. If he can hold steady and maybe steal a game, the Leafs might finally break their 23-year curse and make it to the conference finals.

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