When Paul Maurice woke up Tuesday morning, he expected he’d have to talk about Sam Bennett’s collision with pc28Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz inhis team’s 5-4 Game 1 loss.
And when he did, the Florida Panthers coach was resolute in defence of his veteran forward when speaking to reporters at the team’s hotel in downtown Toronto.
Healso had a few zingers prepared.
“Honest to God, I’ve seen every hit that Sam Bennett has thrown since he was 12 years old on TV this morning,” Maurice said. “There were far more egregious collisions in that game last night, but we won’t be talking about those.”
Maurice referenced the litigation of Bennett’s career as a physical player, noting that he didn’t think the 28-year-old “crossed a line or an edge.”
“We’re six games into the playoffs and he took a puck outside the crease and now he’s a villain,” he said. “There was a hit two and a half years ago that (the media has) shown four thousand times. There was a parking ticket seven years ago that I think actually made the video. He’s got the puck, he’s on a power play, he goes to the net.”
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said that Sam Bennett “plays hard” and insisted that his veteran forward didn’t cross the line in his collision with Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
Steve Russell pc28StarStill, Maurice reiterated that the situation is perhaps more emotional given that Stolarz spent the 2023-24 season in a Panthers uniform, starting 24 games and posting a .925 save percentage.
“Most of this, for me, is tempered by the fact that Stollie’s one of our guys,” Maurice said. “We love that guy.”
Despite pleas to the contrary from Leafs fans, Bennett was not fined or suspended by the league for the incident.
Bennett said that he didn’t intend to injure the Leafs netminder, calling him a “good friend” and saying that the two corresponded after the game.
“Looking back at the video, the contact that was made was, in my opinion, it’s really just a bump,” Bennett said. “There was no forceful action. I mean, I’m trying to score. The last thing on my mind is thinking about elbowing him in the head. When it happened, I didn’t even realize that I had made contact.”
In a media availability, Sam Bennett reacts to questions about how pc28netminder Anthony Stolarz left the game after an elbow to the head from Bennett that wasn’t called.
Credit: NHL/Florida Panthers
His teammates were similarly sympathetic, defending Bennett and wishing their former teammate the best in recovering.
“Obviously, it’s kind of a bang-bang play in front of the net,” said defenceman Seth Jones. “We heard about his condition, so we hope he’s all good. I think tomorrow is going to be a physical game regardless.”
Matthew Knies suffered a concussion in an altercation with the Florida Panthers veteran two seasons ago.
Matthew Knies suffered a concussion in an altercation with the Florida Panthers veteran two seasons ago.
Strategically speaking, blueliner Nate Schmidt said that the Stolarz’s injury changes little as the defending Stanley Cup champions look to rebound in Game 2 Wednesday.
“Just a little bit more work for our goaltender coach when he goes through the prescout again to go over both goalies,” Schmidt said. “Like I said, hopefully (Stolarz) is alright, but if he’s not, then we’ll have to plan for Joseph (Woll).”
As the series marches on towards its second game, Maurice said that, much like his head coaching counterpart behind the Leafs bench, he’d like to put the situation behind him.
“Call the fire department. Put your hair out,” Maurice said. “Let’s move on, please.”
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