Can the Maple Leafs Cool Off Cooley's Flame-ing Hot Hand?

Sometimes, a hockey team doesn't need its goalie to be spectacular every night. It needs him to be good enough to give everyone else a chance to win. Right now, Devin Cooley is doing more than that for the Calgary Flames.

Cooley has won three straight starts, posting a 1.33 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage during that stretch. He was so good last week that the NHL named him its Second Star of the Week. Calgary has won three straight games, too, and Cooley has been a big part of the turnaround.

Now comes a different kind of challenge. The Toronto Maple Leafs arrive in Calgary riding a four-game winning streak and averaging 3.85 goals per game. If Cooley wants to keep this run going, he'll have to deal with an offence that can make a goalie pay for the smallest mistake.

The Hot Hand Has Earned Another Start for the Flames.

Cooley gets his fourth consecutive start Monday, and it's hard to argue with that decision. When a goalie is playing this well, you give him the opportunity to keep going. That doesn't mean Calgary has settled its goaltending future. Dustin Wolf remains an important part of the organization's plans, and three wins don't erase the bigger picture. But hockey is a game played now, not six months from now. Right now, Cooley gives the Flames a reason to believe they can win.

For a team that struggled early, a little confidence can go a long way.

The Maple Leafs Won't Make This Easy on Cooley.

Toronto has been scoring freely during its winning streak, so Cooley probably won't get through this one simply by making the routine saves. He'll need to control rebounds, track the puck through traffic, and stay sharp when the Maple Leafs start moving it quickly.

Just as important, Calgary has to help him. The Flames can't afford to let Toronto keep attacking in waves and expect their goalie to rescue them every time. They need to defend well enough to make Cooley's job manageable, then take advantage of their own scoring chances. A hot goalie can change a game. A team that plays well in front of him can change a season's direction.

Cooley Gets One More Chance to Change the Conversation.

Cooley has already earned the right to keep the net for now. Another strong performance against Toronto would make that decision even easier for Calgary's coaching staff. Nobody needs to declare him the long-term answer just yet. Wolf's story isn't finished, and Cooley's run will eventually face a tougher stretch.

But that's a problem for another day. Right now, the Flames have a confident goalie, a team starting to find its footing, and a chance to see how far this run can go. The Maple Leafs are a serious test. If Cooley passes it, Calgary's hot hand may be getting harder to ignore.