FORT LAUDERDALE — Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz continues to work his way back from an undisclosed injury but doesn’t appear close to a return in Toronto’s second-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Florida Panthers.
“He’s progressing in the right direction,” said Leafs coach Craig Berube on Saturday. “But he has not skated yet [since getting hurt].”
Stolarz was injured during Game 1. The goaltender took a puck off his mask and elbow to the head from Panthers’ forward Sam Bennett in the second period of that outing, exiting shortly after the hit from Bennett. Stolarz — who was ill on Toronto’s bench before he left the game — was later transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
The veteran was able to rejoin his teammates the following day at their facility but did not travel with the Leafs to Florida when the series moved there ahead of Friday’s Game 3.
Joseph Woll has taken over starting duties from Stolarz and helped stake Toronto to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
But Woll struggled in Game 3, recording an .861SV% as the Panthers mounted two multi-goal comebacks to down the Leafs 5-4 in overtime.
Berube said after the loss that he “thought [Woll] was really good” but he didn’t love the Leafs’ fourth goal-against, when Panthers’ fourth liner Jonah Gadjovich beat Woll cleanly from outside the right face-off circle to give Florida its first go-ahead goal of the night.
Woll also has been adjusting to playing the puck amid Florida’s smothering forecheck.
“They rim a lot of pucks,” said Woll on Friday. “I’m just trying to do my best to help us breakout.”
Florida hasn’t made it easy on the Leafs in that respect. Berube anticipates Woll can learn from Friday’s mistakes and improve, though.
“It’s difficult,” said Berube. “A lot of those rims are up; they’re not on the ice. And that’s designed. If they can get a good lick on it, they’re going to get it on the glass. It’s pretty tough for him to come out and play those. He did get to a lot of them. But they’re coming hard. He’s going to have to move it quick.”
Game 4 of the series is set for Sunday.