Referee Chris Rooney blows the play dead as pc28¹ÙÍøMaple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz lays on the ice during Game 1 against the Florida Panthers in pc28¹ÙÍøon May 5, 2025.
Referee Chris Rooney blows the play dead as pc28¹ÙÍøMaple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz lays on the ice during Game 1 against the Florida Panthers in pc28¹ÙÍøon May 5, 2025.
Never have the Maple Leafs won a game feeling angrier. Never has beating the Florida Panthers felt better.
The Maple Leafs took Game 1 of their second-round series 5-4, but they lost star goalie Anthony Stolarz in the process after an elbow to the head from Sam Bennett that wasn’t called.
Joseph Woll replaced Stolarz halfway through the second period, a move that seemed to energize the Panthers who scored twice early in the third period.
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A Matt Knies breakaway goal with six minutes left — a goal that felt like it delivered with a dagger — held up as the winner after Bennett scored with 1:55 remaining and Florida playing with an extra attacker.
It was Woll’s first game since April 17, a 4-3 overtime win over Detroit. He allowed three goals on 20 shots after Stolarz allowed one on nine.
It’s a series that turned mean very quickly.
Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow
him on Bluesky @kevinmcgran
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