Craig Berube doubts Anthony Stolarz will travel to Florida for Game 3-4 against Panthers

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube believes Anthony Stolarz will not travel with the team, as they prepare for Game 3 and 4 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers.

Stolarz suffered an injury in Game 1 when Panthers forward Sam Bennett struck him with an errant elbow to the head. The 31-year-old left the arena on a stretcher, but returned to off-ice activities on Tuesday. Joseph Woll will start Game 3 for the Maple Leafs, with Matt Murray as his likely backup. It appears that Woll could be the starter for the duration of the series, as Stolarz recovers from injury.

“I doubt it. Not right away,” Berube said via Nick Barden of The Hockey News, when asked about Stolarz potentially travelling with the team.

Berube previously told reporters that Stolarz was recovering, but did not specify the nature of the injury. Following Game 1, Berube was clearly upset about the play, stating that Bennett ‘clearly’ struck Stolarz with an elbow to the head. Bennett did not receive any supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety and participated in Game 2 without further incident.

Berube also disclosed that he hadn’t seen Stolarz with the team on Thursday. Toronto is slated to travel to Sunrise, Florida, before the series resumes Friday.

Stolarz closed out the regular season with eight consecutive wins, and started all six games for the Maple Leafs in their first-round victory over the Ottawa Senators. He was in excellent form prior to the injury in Game 1, and pulled away with the No. 1 role during the final weeks of the season. Stolarz recorded a .901 save percentage and a 2.21 goals against average against the Senators, where he was arguably the series MVP for the Maple Leafs.

Woll made 25 saves in the winning effort and improved as the game went on, as the Maple Leafs now hold a commanding 2-0 lead over the Panthers.