Fresh from the Battle of Florida, the Panthers had little idea that their Round 2 of the playoffs would start so wobbly. But it did. Courtesy of the victors of the Battle of Ontario. In Game 1 of the second round, the Cats were defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 just minutes ago at the Scotiabank Arena. However, while the Leafs triumphed, their netminder, Anthony Stolarz, wouldn’t say it was his best day at the office.

In the second period of the Panthers vs. Leafs game today, during a Florida power play, the Cats’ Sam Bennett bumped into the hosts’ goalie. Stolarz left the ice, and fans hoped to see him return to action swiftly. But that didn’t happen, and Joseph Woll took over the goalie duties for the Leafs. And now, as Anthony’s condition receives more updates, Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO Chris Nowinski can’t help but see red flags.

In his X post from May 5, the former WWE star noted how the Maple Leafs had initially taken Anthony Stolarz’s situation lightly. “When I initially posted on Anthony Stolarz I didn’t know they initially left him in for more than two minutes until he started vomiting on the bench,” he wrote in the social media post, while urging prompt response in such situations.

Stolarz was carried away from the rink on a stretcher. Naturally, Nowinski, who has had his fair share of trysts with concussions, knows how bad these things can turn out to be without proper medical care. “If you vomit multiple times after a brain injury, get to the emergency room,” he wrote in his post, underscoring that Anthony Stolarz might need quick medical attention. However, while the Panthers’ forward took the goalie out of the game, his hit wasn’t the first time Anthony took a beating tonight.

In the first period, the puck, struck by Florida’s Sam Reinhart, struck Stolarz high up, dislodging the latter’s helmet off his head. The play was temporarily halted as the Maple Leafs’ star adjusted his mask straps. The 31-year-old goaltender went on to save eight of nine shots faced before being sent off the ice at 10:14 of the second period after Bennett’s arm caught him during a skirmish in front of Toronto’s net. The team later noted that Anthony Stolarz was under evaluation, but did not elaborate on the same.

The Leafs’ primary goalkeeper played all six games against the Ottawa Senators in the first round, raking up an impressive .901 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average. Of course, the Florida Panthers know full well what Stolarz is capable of. After all, Anthony was the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky in the Cats’ Stanley Cup-winning campaign last year. Maybe that’s why Paul Maurice’s boys wouldn’t be too disappointed if the Leafs’ goalie doesn’t show for the next couple of games in the best-of-seven game series.

Thankfully, though, Woll stepped up to the occasion well. In the 2024-25 regular season, Woll started in 41 games and posted an impressive .909 save percentage. However, without Stolarz in the lineup, Joseph will need to pull up. And fast, too, especially since the Panthers have a lot of guys who aren’t shy of a good fistfight, and the Leafs can hardly afford to lose another goalie in the coming days.

Anthony Stolarz’s comrades will need to brace themselves

The Panthers boast one of the deepest rosters in the Eastern Conference. From forward Matthew Tkachuk to former Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who joined the squad in March, the Miami team certainly has a lot of names who can take the fight to their opponents. Moreover, after spending close to a decade with Boston, Marchand also didn’t seem too battered for having to find himself a new home. Instead, the 36-year-old winger admitted that the Panthers’ aggressive style of play suited him well.

If that wasn’t all, Sam Bennett also didn’t comment on his incident with Stolarz after the game. The Athletic‘s Pierre LeBrun noted on X that the “Panthers PR said he wasn’t talking tonight,” despite the reporters wanting to talk to the 28-year-old Canadian star. His not talking to the reporters doesn’t seem too surprising, considering this wasn’t the first time he was involved in a controversial hit in a playoff game against the Maple Leafs. Two years ago, the Panthers forward’s body slam gave Matthew Knies a concussion, which ruled him out of the game. And with all the hitting and the elbowing that the Panthers have been associated with this postseason, it’s also not surprising that Bennet is facing some serious heat from fans as well. “You know who needs to do better Chris? The nhl department of player safety. Bennett should be gone for the rest of the season,” read the fan’s fuming comment.

“It’s actually crazy there was no repercussions for something that was as clear as day. Absolutely disgusting work right here,” wrote another fan, echoing what the Leafs coach’s comments on the same. “Elbow to the head,” Berube said. “Clear as day.”

Do you think Anthony will be back for Game 2? Or will Woll be the one to protect the net against the 2024 Stanley Cup winners? Tell us!