NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn — Maple Leafs HC makes his thoughts extremely clear on Sam Bennett's elbow hit on Anthony Stolarz - Source: Imagn

Maple Leafs HC makes his thoughts extremely clear on Sam Bennett's elbow hit on Anthony Stolarz

Modified May 07, 2025 17:02 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube addressed the incident involving Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett and Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz during Game 1 of their Round 2 series on Monday.

The Maple Leafs lost their starting goaltender, Stolarz, in the middle of the second period moments after he took an elbow to the head from Bennett, though no penalty was called on the play.

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After the game, Berube said the incident was an obvious penalty that should have been called.

"Yeah. I mean, I don't know what you mean. I think, at the time, we handled it the way we should handle it," Berube said postgame. "I'm not sure why there's not a call on it, but, you know, I get it, they miss calls, but it's clearly a penalty."

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He also mentioned that Anthony Stolarz was undergoing evaluation following the incident. Meanwhile, NHL insider Chris Johnston reported that Stolarz was taken to the hospital in an ambulance during the third period.

According to reports, the NHL Player Safety is expected to review Sam Bennett's high elbow on Stolarz, though it remains uncertain whether it will deem it deserving of disciplinary action.

Maple Leafs down Panthers in Game 1 of Round 2

On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lead after defeating the Florida Panthers 5-4 in Game 1 of their Round 2 series at Scotiabank Arena.

William Nylander opened the scoring for the Leafs after putting them ahead 1-0 just 33 seconds into the first period. Nylander doubled his tally to increase the lead to 2-0 at 12:51. Seth Jones cut the Leafs' lead to 2-1 after scoring on the power play at 16:57.

Morgan Rielly restored the home team's lead to 3-1 before heading into the second period. Chris Tanev was the lone scorer in the second, whose goal put the Leafs in a commanding 4-1 lead.

The Panthers bounced back in the third period, with two quick goals from Eetu Loustarinen and Uvis Balinskis making it a 4-3 game. Matthew Knies then made it 5-3 at 14:00. Sam Bennett scored the final goal for the Panthers at 18:05 for the final scoreline of 5-4.

Game 2 takes place on Wednesday, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. ET.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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