If the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have any success this season, it’s going to fall on the shoulders of goalie Anthony Stolarz as he’s going to be critical to their success. Needless to say, they need to help him out defensively, but they also need to start coming to his defense when they need to.
Early on this season, Stolarz is already facing a number of instances, where opposing players are crashing the crease often and are starting to make contact with him. None was more egregious than in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken where forward Mason Marchment crashed into him during the end of the second period. Stolarz had enough, shoved the net off and went after him, showing his frustration and displeasure. Though, where were his teammates coming to his defense?
While Stolarz did what he needed to do to protect himself, as he was not happy with how players are taking advantage of their play in front of the net. Even head coach Craig Berube said it wasn’t “good enough” in regards to the response. The team in front of him needs to start showing that they have his back and it shouldn’t have to fall on Stolarz to defend himself every time.
Team Should’ve Learned Lesson from Bennett Incident
While it’s commendable to see Stolarz show that anger with the bumps and run-ins this season, it shouldn’t always have to be him to send the message. He’s already done that by getting in Ridly Greig’s face against the Ottawa Senators after he ran into him in Game 1. Similar instances, Marchment’s collision could’ve led to another serious injury for Stolarz. It should’ve served as a reminder from the Sam Bennett incident during the postseason against the Florida Panthers of what not to do when your goalie gets hit.
When Bennet powered through the crease and used his forearm to knock Stolarz in the head, he instantly went down to the ice. There was no penalty on the play which should’ve immediately struck a chord with the team. However, the response was silent from the players on the ice, which included Brandon Carlo, Scott Laughton and Simon Benoit. While it was a quick play, the response was minimal as they should’ve put two and two together and gone after Bennett to stand up for their goalie.
The response was once again extremely disappointing against the Kraken. While Stolarz jumped in and gave Marchment a piece of his mind, the response from his teammates was once again quiet until after the fact that Stolarz jumped in. The players need to be the first ones in to come to his defense. He’s your goalie and you do anything and everything to protect him at all costs. Whether it’s a little bump or a big collision, the Maple Leafs need to show just as much frustration about the act as Stolarz did.
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It shouldn’t have to take the goalie to send a message after he was just run over. Someone, anyone, should’ve immediately clued in and done what Stolarz did. I get you don’t want to take a penalty, but in that instance, the goalie is important. The Bennet incident alone should’ve been a stark reminder where the Maple Leafs should’ve learned their lesson and that if there’s even the slightest contact on their goaltender, it’s their job to come to his defense and go after them. Not play the wait and see game.
Teams Continue to Get Away With Crashing Net
Saying that the Maple Leafs need to do a better job at protecting Stolarz and having his back is an understatement. The way that Carlo and even Jake McCabe, who are physically imposing defenders themselves, just stood around and didn’t do anything until after Stolarz did is truly disappointing. It also doesn’t help that a goal was allowed after Carlo pushed Jaden Schwartz into him earlier.
We’ve seen those two defenders make big hits before and stand players up, but in that moment, they let their goalie down. On any other team, including the Panthers, if someone touches their goalie, someone is there to stand up for them, be it a little shove or depending on the severity more of a message. If this team is to go far, they need to stand up for one another, especially their goaltender.
This isn’t just something that has come up recently. It has been constantly a problem in the past where other players have been injured in dangerous instances and the response was extremely uninspiring and unacceptable. That has to change immediately and hopefully this instance with Stolarz is the necessary change, as they need to be aware and instinctive to protect one another.
Teams have taken note that they can get away with this and that can’t happen. Stolarz already had to deal with a concussion and miss the rest of the postseason. What’s next? Another one possibly? A leg injury? It’s up to the players in front of him to prevent that and that should start immediately. They need to start making his job easier in the crease where he isn’t constantly dealing with bumps or hard drives to the net on a nightly basis and deliver the necessary message when they need to.
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That run-in with Stolarz should be the final straw. They need to start protecting him more and they owe it to him as they can’t afford to lose him for an extended period of time again.
If he can show that anger, so can everyone else as they need to follow his lead.
