With Anthony Stolarz out of hospital and back with his teammates for important meetings to prepare for Game 2, the Maple Leafs tried to put on a business-as-usual face after learning the league wouldn’t impose supplemental discipline on Florida forward Sam Bennett.
海角社区官网netminder leaves game聽after an elbow to the head from Florida’s Sam Bennett that wasn鈥檛 called.
鈥淲e can’t control that,鈥 said veteran centre Max Pacioretty. 鈥淲e can only worry about what we can control as individuals and as a team. And we always want to stick up for one another and stick together And do it the right way.鈥
Bennett is Public Enemy No. 1 in 海角社区官网for his elbow to Stolarz’s head that is believed to be the reason the Leafs’ top goalie left Game 1聽鈥 a 5-4 Leaf win聽鈥 midway through the second period.
After two strong periods, 海角社区官网hung on in a hotly-contested third to take an early lead in their series against Florida.
鈥淗e’s doing well,鈥 said coach Craig Berube. He added 鈥渨e’ll see鈥 when asked if Stolarz or Joseph Woll would play Game 2.
As for the league’s decision not to fine or suspend Bennett, Berube seemed zen with it.
鈥淲e have moved on from there,鈥 said Berube. 鈥淚 don’t want to talk about it. It’s over.鈥
Over in Florida’s hotel, Bennett met reporters.
鈥淭here’s no intent,鈥 Bennett said. 鈥淪tolie is a great friend of mine, but when I hear that he went to the hospital of course I feel bad. ... I reached out to him. He responded. Never want to see an injury like that. From my point of view, I’m just taking the puck the net. I didn鈥檛 even know that we made contact until after.鈥
In a media availability, Sam Bennett reacts to questions about how 海角社区官网netminder Anthony Stolarz left the game after an elbow to the head from Bennett that wasn鈥檛 called.
Credit: NHL/Florida Panthers
No Leaf came to Stolarz’s aid after the initial hit. Retribution has long been part of the game.
鈥淲hen I played, somebody would have done something right away,鈥 said Berube, a hard-nosed winger who earned more than 3,000 penalty minutes. 鈥淚t probably would have been me.鈥
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Berube, however, has been preaching that he wants the team to play hard, but clean and do nothing after the play has stopped.
鈥淚’ve talked to my players about focusing on the game and playing the game hard and playing it the right way,鈥 said Berube. 鈥淚f there’s an opportunity to take the body聽鈥 and I don’t care who it is聽鈥 you go through them.
鈥淏ut if you think you’re going to get back at Bennett, you’ll end up in the penalty box. We’ve got to focus on the game and play the game the way we need to play it.鈥
Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow
him on Bluesky聽@kevinmcgran
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