Goalie Woll stands tall, gives Leafs some life

GAME DAY: BOSTON AT TORONTO, 5 P.M.

Joseph Woll knew he wasn’t getting the nod for Game 1 of the playoffs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had clearly been trending toward Ilya Samsonov late in the regular season, including a week of rest for the goaltender ahead of the Stanley Cup chase.

Woll didn’t pout or show any disappointment at getting passed over. He simply continued on the same regimented path.

“It was obvious to me that he was going to continue to work,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of the rookie. “And prepare as though he was playing.”

Woll got that chance in a hostile environment Tuesday with his team facing elimination — a situation he experienced some 12 months ago.

The calm, cool 25-year-old didn’t flinch. Now the Leafs have life. Woll made 27 saves in his first start in more than two weeks in Toronto’s 2-1 overtime victory that cut the Boston Bruins’ lead to 3-2 in the teams’ best-of-seven series.

“He’s unbelievable,” Leafs forward Max Domi, who stepped into the No. 1 centre spot with Auston Matthews unavailable, said of the netminder. “He’s been sitting around for a while. Shows how mature he is and the presence that he brings.”

Game 6 of the first-round matchup goes today in Toronto at Scotiabank Arena. Game 7, if necessary, would be Saturday back at Boston’s TD Garden.

Woll got a taste of NHL playoff action in last spring’s second round after Samsonov was injured against the Florida Panthers. He made three appearances in that series, including a victory in Game 4 on the road before Toronto lost Game 5 in OT at home.

“That experience last year definitely helped,” said Woll, who made a huge third-period stop on former junior teammate Trent Frederic.