Toronto Maple Leafs reveal lines as Stolarz returns to the ice
The Toronto Maple Leafs got a bit of good news regarding goaltender Anthony Stolarz on Tuesday.
Stolarz, who was injured during Game 1 of the series, was spotted on the ice prior to the Leafs’ practice today, taking a few reps with goalie coach Curtis Sanford as documented by several reporters in attendance.
Stolarz’s injury came after the Leafs goalie was hit by a puck in the mask and bumped in the head by Florida forward Sam Bennett, with no penalty or supplementary discipline.
He later skated towards the Leafs bench and appeared to vomit during a stoppage in play, and was later transported to a local hospital before being released that same night.
The Leafs have not commented on the nature of Stolarz’s absence, though it is widely assumed to be a head injury and a likely concussion. He had put up a .901 save percentage and a 2.19 goals against average so far in the playoffs, going 4-2 in the first round against the Ottawa Senators to give Toronto its second series victory since 2004.
With a maximum of three games remaining in the series and a possible pivotal Game 7 coming this Sunday, the timeline might be too short for Stolarz to return to action before the end of the second round, given the typical recovery period for many head injuries.
The Leafs’ lines were largely unchanged from earlier in the series, though there was one noticeable absence today, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson not suiting up for practice and being replaced by Jani Hakanpaa, as per TSN’s Mark Masters. The reason behind Ekman-Larsson’s absence was not immediately clear.
Here’s how the forward lines shake down as of today heading into Game 5:
- Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner
- Max Pacioretty-John Tavares-William Nylander
- Bobby McMann-Max Domi-Pontus Holmberg
- Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Jarnkrok
If Ekman-Larsson is back for Wednesday, the Leafs’ defensive pairs appear to remain unchanged.
- Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev
- Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
- Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
With Stolarz still out, Joseph Woll is expected to get his fourth straight start, with Dennis Hildeby as the backup.