Round 2 has begun between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers with Game 1 at Scotiabank Arena. However, it’s already getting nasty.
Anthony Stolarz left Scotiabank Arena on a stretcher
Maple Leafs’ starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz left the game with an apparent head injury in the second period:
Stolarz then threw up on the bench during the TV timeout after the hit. Joseph Woll came in for relief for Stolarz, and played the rest of the game, stopping 17 of 20 shots. To make matters worse, Stolarz left the game on the stretcher during the third period:
A rough start to Round 2
It is unclear what will come from Stolarz’s injury. But the signs are not looking good. At this point, all we can do is wish a speedy and safe recovery for Stolarz. Some doctors think he might’ve suffered a concussion after taking the shot in the mask from Sam Reinhart in the first period:
It is also unclear if Sam Bennett will receive supplementary discipline for his hit on Stolarz. No penalty was called on the play, and Bennett was not made available for a post-game interview.
Stolarz had a league-leading .926 SV% and third place GAA with 2.14 during the regular season. So far in the playoffs, Stolarz is tied for eight in SV% with .901 and third in GAA with 2.19. Stolarz stopped eight out of nine Panthers shots before leaving the game. If Stolarz is out long-term, this could be a pivotal moment in the series.
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