Stolarz, Toronto’s starting goaltender, was hospitalized after the collision
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The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz for Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said Stolarz is still recovering from a head injury he suffered in Game 1, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
In the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 win on Monday, Stolarz took two significant blows to the head. The first came five minutes into the game when Panthers forward Sam Reinhart ripped an 82 mph wrist shot that knocked Stolarz’s helmet clean off.
Stolarz was visibly shaken by the shot, but he remained in the game for a while after.
In the second period, during a battle for a loose puck in front of the crease, the elbow of Florida center Sam Bennet made contact with Stolarz’s head. The Maple Leafs goalie immediately went to the ice holding his head, but once again remained in the game for a bit longer.
During the next TV timeout, Stolarz got sick on the Toronto bench, and he had to be transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
In his postgame press conference, Berube said it was “clear as day” that Bennett elbowed Stolarz in the head. The next morning, at team practice, Berube said that play would have been handled very differently in the past.
“When I played, somebody would’ve did something right away,” Berube said. “Probably me, if I was out there.”
No penalty was called on Bennett at the time, and he will not face supplementary discipline from the NHL. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Bennett said there was no force or intent behind his collision with Stolarz, a former teammate.
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“Looking back the video, I mean the contact that was made was, in my opinion, it’s really just a bump,” Bennett said. “There is no forceful action. I’m trying to score. The last thing on my mind is thinking about elbowing him in the head. When it happened, I didn’t even realize I made contact.”
Joseph Woll will get the Game 2 start in place of Stolarz. After relieving Stolarz in Game 1, Woll allowed three goals on 20 shots as the Panthers tried desperately to mount a third-period comeback.
