TORONTO — Anthony Stolarz isn’t one to bite his tongue.
So, it was no surprise to see the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender shoot the referee a dirty look and an earful of opinion after he stopped a J.T. Miller one-timer at close range — with no helmet.
And it should be no surprise that Stolarz, speaking more measuredly after Toronto’s 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Rangers, criticized the rule that allowed him to face a clapper with, well, a bare face.
After a Matt Rempe shot dislodged Stolarz’s mask, the Rangers still controlled the puck down low and quickly created Miller’s attempt. Referees Garrett Rank and Justin Kea called the book. (Play can continue against a maskless goalie in event of an imminent scoring chance.) But Stolarz suggests the book could use a rewrite.
“This is the second time it’s happened. Happened to Adin Hill the other night as well. So, hopefully we can find a compromise. It’s not like goalies are trying to knock our helmets off,” Stolarz argued.
“I mean, without the buckle, you can’t really see the puck, you can’t really track or do anything. As soon as you move your head, it falls off. So, hopefully the league can look at it and talk to some goalies or people who have knowledge of the position, and we can come to some sort of compromise where our safety isn’t put at risk there.”
Stolarz’s 1950s-style battle level proved the highlight of a Throwback Thursday in which scoring chances were hard to come by, and most were turned aside by goaltenders at the top of their game.
“Just trying to be a competitor and slide across,” Stolarz said of kicking out Miller’s blast without his most important piece of equipment. “Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation. But at that stage of the game, you’re just trying to do anything to keep the puck out of the net.”
The sequence slapped an exclamation point on a 28-save star turn for Stolarz, who was awarded Toronto’s player-of-the-game belt for his badassery.
But in real time, the helmet-free save both frightened and confused his teammates.
“I was a little scared to be honest,” Matthew Knies said. “I don't know how it came to that. You know, I thought it was supposed to be blown. It was a shocker for sure, for everyone.”
Superstars William Nylander and Auston Matthews — who connected for a 3-on-3 winner in the first shift of OT — were both surprised that play could continue after a lost mask, based on a judgment call.
“Thankfully it didn’t hit him there. I was completely unaware of the rule. I thought the second the helmet’s off, I mean, the play’s gotta be dead with no helmet on,” Matthews said.
“Just another example of what a gamer he is. I mean, he just goes in there, he wants to compete. And he’s a big communicator back there. He lets you know what’s going on, and he’ll let you know when he doesn’t like what he's seeing. So, I think you can really appreciate that.”
Nylander believes “it’s crazy” that pucks can be shot in that scenario.
“I mean, that’s so dangerous. Like, it should be blown off right away,” Nylander said. “I guess you could argue that sometimes a goalie could maybe try to shake his helmet off or whatever, but I think that’s pretty dangerous.”
Head coach Craig Berube agrees.
“It's a tough call. Your goalie loses his mask, he’s in a very vulnerable position, a position to get really hurt,” Berube said. “And I don't think anybody wants to see that — ever. So, in my opinion, blow it down.”
Stolarz described Thursday’s grind-it-out affair as “playoff-like” because it was so defensively sound and tight checking. Only one goal, a third-period tip by New York’s Jusso Parssinen, was scored at even-strength.
“I like the way that we stuck with our game and stayed patient. Didn’t try to try to open it up too much,” said Stolarz, who outduelled the mighty Igor Shesterkin.
“He’s one of the best, if not the best. So, for me, it’s just worrying about stopping the puck. You see him making save after save, and as a goalie you want to match that and just try to give the team some time to put one by him.”
Stolarz did precisely that.
No masking who the home team’s hero was on this night.
Fox’s Fast Five
• Easton Cowan has already thrown six hits and taken seven in just three games, including a dangerous one into the post from Nashville’s Ozzy Wiesblatt on Tuesday when he didn’t have the puck and a late shot from Filip Forsberg during a delayed penalty.
“He’s a smaller guy, but he’s not afraid to go in those dirty areas,” Matthews said. “Took a couple kind of cheap hits, the one going to the net, stuff like that, but he’s strong. He’s deceptively a lot stronger than he maybe looks.”
Cowan grinned after it was relayed that his centreman said he’d been targeted with a couple cheap shots.
“I think it’s just the game,” Cowan replied. “Just get back up and keep playing.”
Berube and Matthews have both commended the 20-year-old’s ability to handle the physicality of the pro game.
“He’s handled it really well,” Matthews said. “There’s obviously a lot of big guys out there, strong men, and you got to protect yourself. And I think he does a good job of that.”
Sure. But should Cowan’s teammates be protecting him better?
“We’ve got a power play on the (Weisblatt) one, so you can’t react to that,” Berube countered. “You gotta stay disciplined. All scenarios are different when it comes to that. Our team, I’m not too worried about it. I think our team’s going to stand up for each other and get in there. I know they are. They did it last year; I expect them to do the same. But, at the same time, it’s situational for me. We got a power play out of it. Power play’s job is to make them pay.”
• Cowan played just two shifts in the third period and not at all in the final 14:17 of action with the score tied.
Berube’s explanation: “Our team maybe lacked a little energy, so I was just trying to find some lines and some energy together. That’s all.”
Cowan’s 11:47 ice time marked his first time under 14 minutes.
The rookie committed a game-high five giveaways.
• The Rangers still don’t have a forward who has scored more than once. Meanwhile, in Anaheim, Chris Kreider has four goals in three games.
• Steven Lorentz, who inked a three-year contract extension over the summer, was healthy-scratched for the first time since joining the Maple Leafs.
“He’s an important player,” Berube said. “We all like him, we want him, but sometimes these are the decisions coaches gotta make — and they’re not easy for the guys that aren’t playing.”
Berube believes the Leafs were coming off their best two games, which just happened to coincide with Lorentz’s absence due to an upper-body injury.
Our take: It was too early to sit Dakota Joshua, who’s trying to find his footing with a new club. Calle Järnkrok has been one of Berube’s most productive and reliable forwards. And Nick Robertson’s trade value would only be harmed by a trip to the press box.
• Bit of a sleepy night at the rink, perhaps because the Blue Jays were playing a more important game. Still, the goalie deserves more love.
Not sure why “Sto-lie!” chants don’t punctuate Stolarz’s monster saves the way “Sam-my!” “Soooup!” and “Fred-dy!” cheers did for his predecessors’.
The big guy committed to this town on a team-friendly deal and has been a stud most nights.
