Published Nov 28, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Goaltender Joseph Woll can only do so much.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Maple Leafs allowed 30-plus shots and two late third-period goals in falling 4-2 to the Washington Capitals on Friday in D.C. Toronto was trying to win consecutive games for the first time in three weeks, with Woll facing 30-plus shots after an overtime win in Columbus in his sixth straight start.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Leafs have now lost eight of 10 and remain near the Eastern Conference basement.<\/p>\n Late in the game, with Woll pulled for an extra attacker, Capitals goalie Logan Thompson gloved a Matthew Knies shot.<\/p>\n The Leafs had a couple of great opportunities to extend their well-earned 2-0 lead, but were not able to score. They clung to a one-goal lead with less than seven minutes to play, fumbling a puck wide behind Woll that got past Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Alex Ovechkin for a pass to Anthony Beauvillier.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Blanked on his attempt to get a 46th career goal against Toronto, it was Ovi\u2019s 35th assist. Jakob Chychrun, having a wonderful offensive year from the backline, beat Woll with a point blast less than three minutes later.<\/p>\n Tom Wilson added an empty-netter as the Leafs, among their other sins in this sputtering 10-11-3 start, lost for the third time when leading after 40 minutes. It countered their tendency to give up the first goal when Morgan Rielly delivered on the short side after Thompson was slow to cover. That was just the fourth time in the past 17 contests Toronto opened the scoring.<\/p>\n Rielly\u2019s goal came after Washington had its first-minute goal scrubbed on a quick whistle when officials thought Woll had covered the puck. While it still could have counted as continuation of the shot, the puck died on the goal-line after the toot before Dylan Strome tapped it in.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n At the end of killing a Scott Laughton penalty, Auston Matthews<\/a> and Knies broke away, Matthews stopped, but was able to dodge an Ovechkin hit to set up Knies for his first goal since coming back from injury. That assist was historically significant, Matthews passing the departed Mitch Marner for fifth in franchise history with 742.<\/p>\n But Toronto\u2019s difficulty in second periods this year with the long bench change came back to bite. The weary group caught out too long could not defend a crease rush by the Caps with GTA native Conner McMichael beating Woll on the Caps\u2019 18th of 33 shots on Woll.<\/p>\n Thompson, who still is in the Team Canada Olympic conversation, stopped a John Tavares breakaway in the third period and made two big saves on Laughton.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Toronto lineup was a hot topic before the game as leading scorer William Nylander woke up with an illness for the late afternoon start and had to be scratched. But instead of Matias Maccelli taking a seat a second time, the slumping Max Domi became the latest high-profile benching after Dakota Joshua<\/a>.<\/p>\n Domi had six points in 23 games despite some first-line time and was a notable minus-13. Joshua came back and started the forecheck on Rielly\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n Woll will swap out with Dennis Hildeby on Saturday night when Toronto continues its road trip in Pittsburgh, which played in Columbus against the Blue Jackets on Friday night.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible Nylander and Domi return for the game Saturday.<\/p>\n Lhornby@postmedia.com<\/p>\n X: @sunhornby<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breadcrumb Trail Links SportsHockeyNHLToronto Maple Leafs Get the latest from Lance Hornby straight to your inbox Sign Up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":313474,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[433],"tags":[49,48,448,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-313473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-nhl","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/313474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Maple](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1129wollsmall-e1764379283493.jpg\")
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll concedes a goal to Connor McMichael of the Washington Capitals during the second period of the game at Capital One Arena on November 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by Scott Taetsch \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.0.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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