"The Maple Leafs required some sort of run to lift themselves back into the playoff mix, and while they've now gotten one with their recent 7-0-2 stretch, they're far from out of the woods. Technically, the Leafs woke up on Monday morning in a playoff spot. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final spot by points percentage, but the Leafs own the tiebreaker. In any event, there's no purpose in celebrating mid-season technicalities in the standings."
"The Leafs' goaltending has entirely solidified, and it's reasonable to expect good goaltending on a nightly basis. It is almost surprising when they don't get it, albeit those off nights will happen on occasion, naturally. Since Joseph Woll returned on November 15th, the Leafs are fourth in the league in save percentage. He was really good last season, carrying the mail with Anthony Stolarz injured, and he has done it yet again."
The Maple Leafs have a seven-win, zero-loss, two-tie stretch that moved them into a playoff position by points percentage while they remain tied with Pittsburgh but hold the tiebreaker. Midseason standings are provisional because a large portion of the schedule remains and results naturally fluctuate. Team performance often appears more extreme in wins or losses than underlying quality indicates. Goaltending stabilized after Joseph Woll's November 15 return, ranking fourth in the league in save percentage, with Dennis Hildeby providing necessary depth and rest. The power play and top scorers have rebounded, and the team ranks fifth in goals per game.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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