The Toronto Maple Leafs now trail 3-2 in their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series after a 6-1 blowout loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 on Wednesday night. After taking a 2-0 lead to start the series, they’ve dropped three straight contests.
The Leafs have been without goaltender Anthony Stolarz since he left Game 1 early. He took a shot off the mask in the second period and was later hit by Panthers forward Sam Bennett.
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Stolarz was seen vomiting on the bench shortly afterward and left the game for good. He hasn’t played since, with backup goalie Joseph Woll stepping in as his replacement.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) after getting injured versus the Florida Panthers.John E. Sokolowski
After practice on Tuesday, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Stolarz was “doing much better,” but didn’t provide a timetable for his return. On Thursday, just one day before Game 6 in Florida, Berube offered a new update.
“I doubt it,” he said when asked if Stolarz would travel with the team.
Stolarz played for the Panthers last season and won the Stanley Cup with them as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup. This year, he emerged as the primary goaltender for the Maple Leafs, starting 33 games in the regular season. He posted a 21-8-0 record with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
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He then started all six games in the first-round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators.
In Stolarz’s absence, Woll has recorded a 4.02 GAA, a .877 save percentage and a total of 18 goals given up across five games.
Game 6 between the Maple Leafs and the Panthers is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
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