Anthony Stolarz injury update: Leafs HC Craig Berube gives latest on goalie's progress ahead of crucial Game 5 against Panthers

Anthony Stolarz is progressing in his recovery from the injury he suffered in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. He was hurt when Sam Bennett elbowed him in the head, which sent him to the hospital. Stolarz has missed the last few games in the second-round series due to that injury.

In his absence, Joseph Woll has stepped in as the starting goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team has relied on Woll since Stolarz has not been available and his return date unclear.

On Tuesday morning, the 31-year-old goalie skated for about 20 minutes before the Leafs' optional practice. He worked on lateral movements and standing up with goaltending coach Curtis Sanford. This was his first time on the ice since the injury. It’s a positive step, but he is not ready to play yet.

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube spoke to the media and shared that Stolarz is “doing much better,” but there is no timeline for his return.

This is not the first injury for Stolarz this season. He also missed time earlier after knee surgery. During the regular season, Stolarz was one of the league’s top goaltenders, with a .926 save percentage and 21 wins.

Game 5 will be played in Toronto on Wednesday. There is still no word on whether Anthony Stolarz will be in the lineup. For now, his condition is improving, and the team will wait until he is fully ready.

The Toronto Maple Leafs called for player protection after Anthony Stolarz's injury in Game 1

After Anthony Stolarz was injured in Game 1 by Sam Bennett’s hit, the Toronto Maple Leafs called for better player protection. This wasn’t Bennett's first involvement in such an incident. He had also injured Matthew Knies and Brad Marchand in past games.

Knies, affected by Bennett’s hits before, spoke out, hoping the league would take action.

“Hopefully the league will handle it and protect our players,” Knies said per NHL insider Chris Johnston on Tuesday.

Bennett explained via Sportsnet on Tuesday that he didn’t mean to hurt Anthony Stolarz. He said he was just trying to take the puck to the net and didn’t know he had made contact.

"Stollie is a good friend of mine. I reached out to him. He responded," Bennett said. "Obviously never want to see an injury like that. From my point of view, I'm just taking the puck to the net. I didn't even know we made contact until after. I'm on the power play, I'm trying to score. I'm taking the puck to the net. That's really all there was to it."

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice agreed, saying he didn’t think Bennett had crossed the line.