Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett denied any “malice” after elbowing Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz in the head during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoff series.
The incident occurred midway through the second period, during a power play opportunity for Florida. Despite the foul, the officials did not signal any penalty. Stolarz remained briefly in the net before heading to the Toronto bench, where he vomited. He was subsequently transported from Scotiabank Arena to a local hospital.
After the match, Bennett stated that he had no intention of hurting the goalkeeper. “I was just going for the puck towards the net. I didn’t even realize the contact until later. I was on the power play, trying to score,” he said.
The situation revived old controversies, as Bennett was suspended in the past for similar actions. In 2023, in a series against the Leafs, he caused a commotion to Matthew Knies. Furthermore, he was suspended in another series against Boston for hitting Brad Marchand.
I can understand why people react like that, because Stolly is injured. When your starting goalie gets injured, people get upset. Looking at the video, the contact that was made was, in my opinion, just a collision. There was no forceful action. I was trying to score. The last thing on my mind was to hit him with my elbow in the head. When it happened, I didn’t even realize I made contact.
Sam Bennett
Stolarz, who made eight saves before the hit, was replaced by Joseph Woll. The two goalies shared Toronto’s net for much of the regular season, but Stolarz has been the Leafs’ number one in the postseason.
Although Stolarz did not participate in Tuesday’s practice, coach Craig Berube did not rule out his participation in the second game. If Stolarz cannot play, Woll will take his place again.
Bennett, for his part, insists that his playing style is “tough” and that he will not be influenced by criticism. “I am trying to play my game, to help the team win and to ignore the noise,” he added.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice defended Bennett, criticizing the media coverage of the incident. “I’ve seen every hit Sam Bennett has thrown since he was 12 years old,” Maurice said.
