Elliotte Friedman makes his feelings crystal clear on Sam Bennett facing no supplemental discipline for Anthony Stolarz hit

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett will not be punished for his hit on Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz.

The hit occurred in the second period of Game 1 on Monday during a Panthers power play. Bennett’s forearm caught Stolarz in the head as he skated by the net. There was no penalty on the play.

Stolarz stayed down for a moment, but kept playing. A few minutes later, he left the game after becoming sick on the bench and was taken to the hospital for further tests.

Earlier in the game, Stolarz took a puck to the head from a Sam Reinhart shot.

Joseph Woll came in as the backup and stopped 17 of 20 shots, as Toronto went on to win 5-4.

Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman reacted to the league’s decision on X. He said goalies should be protected and called the lack of a penalty a “miss.”

Friedman referred to an old case between Milan Lucic and Ryan Miller and added that the league still has the same issue today.

"There will be no supplemental discipline emanating from Florida/Toronto last night. Personal opinion, stemming waaaaaaaaay back from Milan Lucic/Ryan Miller: Goalies need to be protected. Fact there was no penalty/punishment is a miss and bad outcome," Friedman tweeted on Tuesday.

Expand Tweet

Sam Bennett has been involved in other incidents before. He was not suspended last year for a hit on Matthew Knies that caused a concussion, and also avoided a suspension for punching Brad Marchand in the same playoff run.

Stolarz stopped eight of nine shots before leaving. He was Florida’s backup last season and helped them win the Stanley Cup. Stolarz signed with Toronto in the summer.

Craig Berube and Paul Maurice react to Sam Bennett’s hit on Anthony Stolarz

After the game, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said it was a penalty.

“Elbow to the head," Berube told reporters. "Clear as day. I’m not sure why there’s not a call on it. But, you know, I get it. They miss calls. It’s clearly a penalty.”

He added that the league needs to decide whether it deserves a suspension.

"That’s not up to me," Berube said. "That’s up to the league. They’ll do what they think is necessary on that play.”

Expand Tweet

Florida coach Paul Maurice mentioned that his team is thinking of Stolarz.

“We love that guy, and we hope he gets better real fast,” Maurice said, via Maple Leafs Hot Stove

Sam Bennett did not speak to the media after the game.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez