Maple Leafs Confirm Starting Goaltender for Game 1 vs. the Florida Panthers

It's crunch time now for the Maple Leafs as they head into the first game of their second round series against the Panthers.

Not only are they looking for revenge from their 2023 failures, but are looking to prove to not only Florida, but the NHL as a whole that they mean business and can be looked at as serious contenders.

Backed by strong goaltending, much improved defense, and a team that has fully bought into their new coach's system, it's a stark difference from the teams of the past.

With a bit of luck could end up surprising everyone with a trip to the Conference Finals.

Speaking of the goaltending, it's been a bit of a touchy subject as of late. Anthony Stolarz has been great, but there are concerns that the later he goes, the worse it might get for Toronto, and the playoffs are built around those last minute moments.

Joseph Woll hasn't started a game yet however, and there are concerns he might not be ready to handle the pressure after so much time away.

So who is Craig Berube going to roll with on Monday night? We have our answer.

It looks like Berube is going to call upon Stolarz to start the series off strong against Florida, and it's a series that will highly depend on the performance of their goaltenders.

Florida will almost certainly be using Sergei Bobrovsky for the entire series barring any injuries or mighty big struggles, and Toronto needs to counter balance that if Stolarz struggles at any point.

It's a sure sign that Berube entrusts his veteran to lead the way, and with him facing his former squad it's going to be as much of a mental test as it is physical.

He wasn't that great this season against his old team, but the playoffs are a different beast, and he could be a huge reason why Toronto sticks in the series.

This postseason has been pretty solid so far for Stolarz, although there have been a couple of bumpy games.

Posting a 4-2-0 record with a 2.21 GAA and .901 SV% is nothing to be upset about, but it's more his performance as the game lingers on that brings some concerns.

It's not surprising to see Berube call upon Stolarz to mend the net, and his insistence on sticking with what works has been successful so far.

However, they should have no hesitation to make a switch if things start to get hairy.