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Maple Leafs Coach's Mixed Message on Joseph Woll After OT Loss
Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped Game 3 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers in a 5-4 overtime loss on Friday as the reigning champions cut the series deficit in half.

The Leafs were forced to start Joseph Woll in net, who made his second consecutive start of the playoffs following Anthony Stolarz’s injury and absence from the Leafs' trip to Sunrise. 

Woll stopped 31 of 36 shots but allowed four straight goals after Toronto initially built a 3-1 lead just 2:52 minutes into the second period.

Craig Berube shared his evaluation of the goaltender’s night after the loss, offering a mixed bag of thoughts.

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

The Panthers' fourth goal came off the stick of fourth-liner Jonah Gadjovich, who beat Woll from the outside of the right faceoff circle. That tally gave Florida its first lead of the night.

Toronto tied the game in the third period through a goal scored by defenseman Morgan Rielly before Brad Marchand scored the overtime winner off a deflection at 15:27.

Woll has now allowed at least three goals in each of his three playoff appearances this year, posting an .869 save percentage and 3.99 goals-against average.

Despite Woll's struggles of late, Berube focused on the team’s broader performance in Game 3, one that could have tilted the series nearly all the way in Toronto's favor had the Leafs won it.

“We had a good first, I thought, and when we came out in the second, we had to be direct with what we do,” Berube said. “In the third, we got back to playing our game.”

The series resumes Sunday in Sunrise, with the Maple Leafs holding a 2-1 lead and Game 4 being the last match played in Florida before the series shifts back to Toronto for Game 5.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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