The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action this afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche. They came into the game having started what might be the most important homestand of the season at 0-3, which included an embarrassing loss to Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.
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This afternoon’s matchup was another Next Gen game, which explains the early start time. More importantly, it was a real test to see whether this team could keep up with the league’s best while facing adversity. The answer was pretty clear. They could not, falling 4-1 to the Avalanche.
Now, let’s take a look at some key takeaways from the game.
Woll Plays in His 100th Career Game
This afternoon’s game marked a milestone for goaltender Joseph Woll, as he appeared in his 100th career NHL game. It is a number he likely would have reached sooner if not for injuries, but either way, it is still an important moment in what has been a promising career.
Woll, 27, entered the game with a career record of 59-32-6, along with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Unfortunately, he added another loss to that record, pushing it to 59-33-6. Ideally, a goalie wants to win in a milestone game like this, but the Maple Leafs could not solve McKenzie Blackwood until the final minute, when Max Domi finally got them on the board.
Overall, Woll was solid outside of the opening seven and a half minutes. In the second period especially, he kept the Maple Leafs in the game while they were down two goals. He made several big stops, including two left-pad saves against Nathan MacKinnon. If not for Woll in that stretch, the game could have easily been out of reach much earlier. A goaltender can only do so much, though, and the Maple Leafs were unable to provide any offensive support.
Another Slow Start Hurts Them
Another game, another slow start for the Maple Leafs. Within the first seven and a half minutes, they allowed two goals, both scored by Brock Nelson, and spent the remainder of the first period trying to play catch-up against one of the league’s best teams.
Related: Insider Reveals Where Things Went Wrong Between Maple Leafs & Marner
The Maple Leafs simply are not built to get into a skating match with the Avalanche. Colorado is far too skilled for Toronto to be falling behind early, especially during such an important stretch of the season where points are badly needed.
Toronto did have a strong second period but could not beat Blackwood and then surrendered a late goal that put them down 3-0 heading into the third. Against a team that has clearly been a step above them this season, that deficit was too much to overcome. While they did manage to score with 1:02 remaining, the slow start ultimately sealed a 4-1 loss.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs return to action on Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres in another critical inter-division matchup. What was labeled as the most important stretch of the season has quickly gone sideways, as they have now gone 0-4 and continued to slide down the standings.
After the homestand wraps up on Tuesday, Toronto heads out West to face the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night. That trip also includes games against the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers before the Olympic break. That stretch looms large, as it could go a long way toward determining how the rest of the season plays out and what direction the team takes ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
