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As Greig lurked in front of the net during the second period, Stolarz gave him a two-handed shove followed by a blocker to the back of the head in a raucous sequence.ÌýAs Greig skated back through the crease just seconds later, Stolarz knocked him down flat on his back. Both were given penalties, with Senators fans online outraged that the Leafs didn’t get an extra minor.

To Tavares, it was nothing more than his goaltender doing what needed to be done.

“He’s going to do what he feels necessary that he needs to play the position and stand his ground,” Tavares said.Ìý

Stolarz insisted that he didn’t know who was causing trouble in front of his crease and just sought to protect his paint, regardless of who was in front of him.Ìý

“I was just caught up in the heat of the battle,” Stolarz said. “It’s just one of those things, it didn’t matter. I didn’t even know who it was.”ÌýÌý

Traffic in front of the net is primed to be part of the Senators’ strategy going forward, Stolarz said, and it’s his responsibility to take care of it.

“They have a lot of big bodies in front, and it’s no secret that I’m a big guy, I can see over people,” the six-foot-six Stolarz said. “They’re gonna throw their bodies around at me and it’s just up to me to just try to fight through the screens and just see the puck.”Ìý

Leafs coach Craig Berube said he wasn’t frustrated with Stolarz taking the penalty, even as he stressed the importance of staying disciplined after the team’s practice Monday.

“I think it gets annoying after a while, right?” Berube said of the commotion in front of the net. “I’ve seen that with goalies before, I really don’t have a problem with it.”Ìý

Greig wasn’t available after the game to speak about the play.

Physicality aside, Stolarz stood tall for the second straight game, turning aside 26 of Ottawa’s 28 shots and picking up just his second career post-season win. He was sharp when he needed to be and stopped the Senators as they gained momentum late after coming back from a 2-0 deficit.

“He’s a gamer, he always has been a gamer,” said Max Domi, who scored the overtime winner to put the Leafs up two games to zero in the series. “It’s still real early here, but he’s been a big part of our first two wins.”

Mitch Marner, who assisted on the Leafs’ second goal, also praised Stolarz for being physical when he needed to, calling him “unbelievable” as part of a solid goaltending tandem with Joseph Woll that has anchored the Leafs this season.ÌýÌý

“He’s a big man, he sticks up for himself,” Marner said. “It’s good for him.”Ìý

For Stolarz, who’s waited nearly a decade to become a starting goaltender in the playoffs including as a backup last season for the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers, the fun hasn’t stopped. The Leafs are feeling confident, he said, but he’s trying to take it minute-by-minute and keep a smile on his face.Ìý

“This is what you live for,” Stolarz said. “This is playoff hockey.”Ìý