The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a crucial roster loss in game one of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers. During a play near the Leafs crease in the second period, Panthers forward Sam Bennett elbowed Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the back of his head.
After the elbow, Stolarz stayed face down on the ice for a moment but appeared okay shortly afterward. However, during a commercial break, Stolarz began to vomit at the Leafs bench and had to be taken out of the game for further evaluation.
Toronto Maple Leafs backup goaltender Joseph Woll played the rest of the game. Woll looked good while finishing the second period in relief but looked a bit unsteady in the third. The Leafs began the third period with a 4-1 lead (the worst lead in Leafs history). However, Woll gave up three goals in the third, and the Leafs barely clawed out a 5-4 victory.
One has to believe that the victory is for Stolarz. There is no question that the loss of Stolarz is a huge blow to the Leafs. He has been outstanding for them through six and a half games. Any sort of deep playoff run for the Leafs hinders on Stolarz being able to play. Hopefully, Woll can hold the fort until Stolarz can return.
Vomiting after a hit to the head is a symptom of a concussion. Before the elbow from Bennett, Stolarz took a puck to the mask earlier in the game. The combination of both incidents could have been too much for Stolarz's brain to handle. Concussions are unpredictable and there is no telling how long Stolarz will be out of the lineup. The Leafs medical staff surely have procedures in place to ensure Stolarz doesn't return to the lineup until he is 100% clear of any concussion symptoms.
Obviously, due to how well Stolarz has performed during these playoffs, the Leafs hope he isn't out long, but I think a return for game two on Wednesday is highly unlikely. Although the Leafs never seem to play as confidently in front of Woll as they do Stolarz, they will need to find a way if Woll is in the net for game two. Winning game two won't be easy, but it is crucial.
The Leafs will not want to head to Florida for games three and four with the series tied 1-1. Woll is a good goaltender who finished the season with a 27-14-1 record, but he lost three of his past five starts, allowing 14 goals in that span. Meanwhile, Stolarz went 8-0 with three shutouts and a .950 save percentage in his final eight games. Stolarz is the Leafs number one guy.
For now, all fans can do is pray that Stolarz isn't hurt too bad and that he will return to full health soon. Again, I think a return for game two is too soon, but game three on Friday or game four on Sunday are more likely. It will depend on how quickly Stolarz heals and what the Leafs timeline is for making sure he is symptom-free.