Speaking to the media Tuesday, Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett shared his views on the disputed hit that sidelined Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Bennett`s comments came less than 24 hours after the Panthers organization had not made him available.
“Stollie and I are close friends,” Bennett stated. “I reached out to him, and he responded. Obviously, no one wants to see an injury like that. From my viewpoint, I was just driving the puck toward the net. I honestly didn`t realize we had even made contact until afterward. I was on the power play, attempting to score and heading for the net. That`s genuinely all there was to it.”
The incident occurred during the second period of Game 1 in the second-round series on Monday.
While the Panthers were on a power play in the Leafs` zone, Bennett appeared to make contact with Stolarz`s head using his forearm as he skated past the net. No penalty was assessed during the play.
Stolarz initially remained in the game but exited a few minutes later. He was observed being ill on the bench and was transported by ambulance to a hospital for evaluation.
The league has since determined that Bennett will not face any further disciplinary action regarding the incident.
Leafs coach Craig Berube provided an update Tuesday, saying Stolarz was doing well and was with the team. However, he did not confirm if Stolarz had suffered a concussion or if he would be available for Game 2.
Earlier in the same game, Stolarz had been hit in the head by a puck from a wrist shot taken by Panthers forward Sam Reinhart.
Joseph Woll entered the game in relief for Stolarz and made 17 saves on 20 shots as Toronto successfully defended their lead to win the game 5-4.
“I can see why people might react strongly,” Bennett commented, referring to the anger. “Of course, when your starting goaltender gets hurt, people are going to be upset. But reviewing the video, the contact was, in my opinion, simply a bump. There was no forceful action intended. My focus was on scoring. Elbowing him in the head was the furthest thing from my mind. When it happened, I didn`t even recognize that contact had occurred.”
This is not the first instance where Bennett has caused frustration among the Maple Leafs. He previously caused a concussion to Matthew Knies during the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he drove him into the boards.
Additionally, he was not suspended for punching then-Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand during the second round of the playoffs last year.
Bennett was asked if he understands why his involvement in contentious plays often results in strong reactions.
“That`s just part of playing the game,” he replied. “I play an aggressive style of hockey, and I think that sometimes upsets people and gets them worked up. But I try my best to ignore that. I`m focused purely on my game and helping our team secure a win. I`m just trying to block out all that noise.”
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Wednesday.
