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Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made a return to the ice after a three-month hiatus and put in a stellar performance for the Toronto Marlies.
Woll suffered a high ankle sprain in a game against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 7 and has been sidelined ever since.
The Toronto Marlies' X account captured the moment with a post simply stating,
"Hey, Woller."
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This seemingly casual message triggered a cascade of responses from enthusiastic NHL fans, each expressing their delight and anticipation for Woll's comeback.
One fan enthusiastically exclaimed,
"Woo hoo the Brick Woll is back"
Another fan, voicing the sentiments of many, declared,
"The east should be scared."
Expressing a more personal connection to Woll's journey, a fan emotionally shared,
"You have no idea how much this means to me."
A fan urged the team to cherish and protect Woll, stating,
"Take care of our boy, we want him in net at home as soon as we can."
Joseph Woll's impressive comeback
The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender, now on a conditioning stint with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, played a pivotal role in securing a 4-1 victory against the Laval Rocket.
Woll faced 37 shots and stopped 36 of them, contributing significantly to the Marlies' success. Despite Laval having nine power-play opportunities, Woll stood strong.
The 25-year-old goalie conveyed his excitement about being back on the ice, emphasizing the team effort and praising his teammates for their defensive efforts.
Woll said:
"Felt great. It's been a couple months, and I've been really itching to get back in the game, It was awesome; it was great to get the win with the team here. I did my best to help out the Marlies today, and I thought the guys played great in front of me. They protected the paint all night."
Before his injury, Joseph Woll had claimed the No. 1 goaltender position for the Maple Leafs, surpassing the struggling Ilya Samsonov. In 15 appearances with the Leafs this season, Woll boasted an 8-5-1 record, a 2.80 goals-against average, and an impressive .916 save percentage.
Having resumed practice with the Maple Leafs on Feb. 12, Woll was assigned to the Marlies for a conditioning loan.
