The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their impressive turnaround on the road with a convincing 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, December 4, 2025. However, the win came at a significant cost as starting goaltender Joseph Woll left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury.
Woll's Injury Casts Shadow on Road Victory
Woll, who had been stellar in net with 22 saves through the first two periods, appeared to favour his left side after making a stretch save late in the second frame. He did not return for the third period, with rookie Dennis Hildeby taking over in the Toronto net. The team officially listed Woll's reason for departure as a lower-body issue.
The severity of the injury remains unclear. With the Leafs holding a commanding lead at the time of his exit, the switch could have been precautionary. Woll was likely slated to start the team's next game on Saturday, December 6, at home against the Montreal Canadiens. However, concerns are heightened given Woll's history, which includes missing the first month of the current season due to a personal matter.
A long-term absence would create a serious challenge for the team's goaltending depth. Backup Anthony Stolarz has yet to return to the ice since suffering an upper-body injury in early November.
Knies Shines as Leafs Extend Hot Streak
Despite the worrying injury, the game itself highlighted the Leafs' recent resurgence. The victory marked their fourth win in the last six road games (4-2 record), pulling them out of the Eastern Conference basement and showcasing their potential with four months left in the NHL schedule.
Forward Matthew Knies was the standout performer, engineering two pivotal plays. In the second period, he powered past two Carolina defenders on a breakaway to beat former Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen with a slick backhand. Later, he disrupted a play in the defensive zone and trailed the rush, setting a perfect pick to allow Max Domi to feed Auston Matthews for the captain's 11th goal of the season.
The Leafs also continued a peculiar trend, scoring on the game's first shot for the fourth consecutive contest. Bobby McMann was the latest to achieve the feat, a streak that has only happened twice in the league since the 2008-09 season.
Team Effort and Areas for Improvement
The win was a collective effort, with strong contributions from the bottom-six forward lines. The team's penalty kill, which has shown recent improvement, successfully navigated two first-period minors, though it did allow a goal to Carolina's Seth Jarvis.
Areas for concern remain, particularly the power play, which went 0-for-2. The experiment of using five forwards on the first unit was abandoned, with defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson returning to the mix. The game also exposed some defensive vulnerabilities, with the team conceding several high-quality chances against.
Ultimately, the night in Raleigh was a tale of two stories: a commanding team victory that solidifies a positive road trip, and an anxious wait for news on the health of a key player in Joseph Woll. The Leafs' ability to maintain their momentum may well depend on the diagnosis of their starting goaltender.
