Although Anthony Stolarz reportedly left Scotiabank Arena on a stretcher and was evaluated in hospital, there's still a chance, according to head coach Craig Berube, that he starts Game 2 for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I don't know that yet," he said Tuesday morning. "I'll probably find out today at some point. I'm not sure yet."
Stolarz left Game 1 midway through the second period after throwing up at Toronto's bench during a TV timeout. Him being sick came minutes after Sam Bennett's forearm caught the goaltender in the head with his forearm.
There was no penalty on the play. Nor was there supplemental discipline from NHL Player Safety in the aftermath.
"I don't want to talk about it," Berube added. "It's over."
Panthers' Sam Bennett On Collision With Maple Leafs' Anthony Stolarz: 'I'm Just Taking The Puck To The Net'When Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett spoke on Tuesday morning, he considered his collision with Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz a bump.
Earlier in the game, the 31-year-old took a Sam Reinhart shot to the mask, knocking off the helmet straps. Stolarz stopped eight of nine shots before leaving the game at 10:12 of the second period.
Joseph Woll came in for relief, stopping 17 of 20 shots. It was the 26-year-old's first playoff game this season, after Stolarz started all six games of Toronto's first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
"Well, you've seen him this year, played a lot of good games, a lot of good hockey for us this year," Berube said of Woll.
"Stolie, he was out for, what, two months? I don't know. Can't remember the timeline, but he (Woll) was in there holding the fort for us. We've got a ton of faith in him."
A Tough Situation For Sure’: Joseph Woll Secures Maple Leafs’ First 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff Win After Anthony Stolarz InjuryIt was not how Joseph Woll wanted to make his 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs debut.
Through eight-career playoff games, Woll has four wins and a .924 save percentage in that span. The goaltender played a career-high 42 games this season, winning 27 with a .909 save percentage.
"Yeah, he's a worker. The one thing about Wollsy, he's very dedicated to what he's doing. Off the ice and on the ice, he's one of the most dedicated guys I've been around in that aspect," added Berube.
"He works at his game constantly. He's a great teammate. He does what he needs to be ready to play."
Knies’ Game-Winner Gives Maple Leafs 1-0 Series Lead Over PanthersWith a 5-4 win on Monday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs take a 1-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers.
While it remains unknown if Stolarz will play in Game 2, it appears highly unlikely, given how he departed from Game 1, that he starts for Toronto in the second game of the series.
Hockey can be a wild sport at times, with the collisions and the physical contact, but it's good that Stolarz is in good spirits after everything that occurred on Monday night.
"I like the way that he looked this morning when I got to see him for a smile and at breakfast," Brandon Carlo said, "so that's always a good thing."
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.