Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube reveals Joseph Woll's fiery reaction to early pull - "He was so pissed off at me"

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube offered insight into Joseph Woll’s mindset after pulling him early in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Woll was removed in the third period after stopping 21 of 25 shots. It was his roughest outing of the season after entering the matchup with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.

NHL reporter Mark Masters shared Berube’s comments on X, noting the goalie’s intense reaction.

"He was so pissed off at me for pulling him the other night, but I like that," Berube said. "He wanted to be in there & fight & that's good."

Masters later posted Joseph Woll’s own explanation. Woll said tough stretches happen during games and that he was enjoying the battle despite the pressure.

"Sometimes you have periods where the other team is taking it too you a bit," Woll said. "We have periods like that plenty too. Honestly, I was having fun battling out there. Of course, any time you get out of the net I'm not very happy. I thought we still had a chance to come back"

Joseph Woll's position as the team’s starting goalie is not threatened, as Toronto views the game as a single setback. With the Leafs continuing their road trip, Woll could return to the crease on Wednesday against the Blue Jackets.

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs remain in a difficult stretch overall. They hold a 9-10-3 record, and defensive struggles continue to hurt them. The team is allowing 3.73 goals per game, not a good sign for playoff hopes. Their offense has shown hope but lacks consistency outside of players like William Nylander and John Tavares.

As the Leafs try to climb back into the playoff race, Woll’s competitive fire may be a positive sign. Berube appears to value his goalie’s intensity, hoping it can translate into stronger results moving forward.

Joseph Woll was pulled after the Canadiens' strong start

The Canadiens scored first when Lane Hutson scored at 12:11 of the first period. Noah Dobson made it 2-0 with a shot that changed direction off William Nylander’s stick. Dobson scored again early in the second period after a clean passing play.

Josh Anderson put Montreal up 4-0 with a tight-angle shot at 13:11, and goalie Joseph Woll was pulled after this. Oliver Ekman-Larsson made it 4-1 later in the period with a wrist shot.

Nylander added a power-play goal in the third to cut the lead to 4-2. Anderson scored into an empty net with just over two minutes left to secure Montreal’s 5-2 win.