Florida forward Sam Bennett will not be suspended after hitting Toronto netminder Anthony Stolarz with his elbow in the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 win over the Panthers in the opening game of their second round NHL Playoff series.
An NHL spokesperson confirmed to Global News on Tuesday that there will be no discipline in connection to Monday night’s match-up.
Bennett skated past his former teammate at the midway point of the second period and hit him with an elbow as Toronto was ahead 3-1.
The 31-year-old goalie would remain in the crease for several minutes but would leave the contest and was later seen vomiting on the bench during a TV timeout before exiting.
It’s being reported Stolarz was transported by paramedics to an area hospital for further evaluation.
The referees did not assess a penalty on the controversial Panthers forward.
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“I get it, they miss calls,” Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube told reporters after the game. “But it’s clearly a penalty.”
Berube wouldn’t say whether a suspension was called for in connection with the injury.
“Up to the league,” he said at the time. “They’ll do what they think is necessary.”
Stolarz joined the Leafs in the offseason as a free agent from Florida and his former coach Paul Maurice noted that the incident occurred right in front of the referees.
“He saw it,” Maurice said. “(I’m) hopeful for Anthony and his health. We love that guy and we hope he gets better real fast.”
On Tuesday morning, Berube told reporters his netminder had been evaluated in hospital Monday night, but added Stolarz was at the team’s practice facility Tuesday morning. The coach said he didn’t know if the 31-year-old had suffered a concussion.
He was also uncertain about Stolarz’s availability for Game 2 on Wednesday night.
After Monday night’s incident, Toronto fans would boo Bennett every time he touched the puck, although this is not the first time he has been involved in a questionable play which has knocked another player out of a game with injury.
There have been several such instances over the past few years including one against the Leafs in the playoffs two years ago, which left forward Matthew Knies sidelined with a concussion.
Toronto fans were expressing their outrage over the incident on social media on Tuesday, with many calling for retribution..
“Well that’s certainly a choice, hopefully there’s no supplemental discipline when the score gets evened up,” said @Mullin_95 on the social media platform X. “Eye for an eye is about to make the world blind.”
“All this means is Reaves draws in you’d think,” @NickDiFabio1 wrote.
*With files from The Canadian Press
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