The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their second-round series with a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.
The aftermath of Game 1, however, has been dominated by controversy surrounding Sam Bennett’s elbowing of goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
Midway through Game 1, Bennett drove his forearm through Stolarz’s head while cutting through the crease. The Leafs’ goalie initially stayed in the game but vomited on the bench shortly afterward and was removed from the arena on a stretcher.
Stolarz was later taken to the hospital for further evaluation. As of Tuesday, Stolarz had rejoined the team, but his status for Game 2 remains unclear.
Berube on dealing with Bennett:
“Play hard & physical. They do what they do. Again, that’s up to the refs & the league. We’re going to be disciplined … You go out & think you’re going to get back at Bennett & you end up in the penalty box & we don’t need that”@TSN_Sports
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) May 6, 2025
Despite the severity of the incident, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety opted not to issue any supplemental discipline.
Bennett, for his part, downplayed the contact and acknowledged having contacted Stolarz after the game.
“Really, the contact that was made was, in my opinion, it’s really just a bump,” Bennett said. “There was no forceful action.”
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was asked about the hit after the game and acknowledged that Bennett should have been penalized, calling it an “elbow to the head, clear as day.”
That said, and knowing no suspension was coming on Tuesday, the Leafs coach emphasized that his team won’t seek retribution in Game 2 and beyond.
“I talk to my players about focusing on the game, playing the game hard, and playing it the right way,” Berube said. “If there is an opportunity to take the body on someone, I don’t care who it is. You go through them.
“You aren’t going to go out, think you are going to get back at Bennett, and end up in the penalty box. We don’t need that. It is the focus. We have to focus on the game and play the game the way we need to play it.”
Toronto will likely start Joseph Woll in Game 2 on Wednesday as Stolarz continues to be evaluated. Wednesday’s match will take place in Toronto before the series shifts to Florida for Games 3 and 4.
Related: Panthers Coach Jokes About Sam Bennett’s Elbow on Maple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz
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