Maple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz leaves game with lower-body injury

Stolarz had started the game against his former team, but upon the start of the second period, Joseph Woll was in the crease, with the Leafs announcing that Stolarz wouldn’t return shortly after. He stopped 7 of 8 shots in the game, allowing a power play goal from Frank Vatrano for an .875% save percentage in 20 minutes of ice time, with the Leafs up 2-1 at the time of his departure.

It’s unclear as to what caused the injury, as well as what the specific injury is, how severe it is, and how long Stolarz is expected to be out of the lineup.

The Leafs will have to hope that Stolarz’s injury isn’t anything too long-term, because he’s been fantastic in net for them this season with a 9-5-2 record, a .928% save percentage, 1 shutout and a 15.01 goals saved above expected in 16 games. His save% currently leads all goaltenders, while his GSAx is the third-highest after Connor Hellebuyck and Lukas Dostal, who was in the crease opposite to Stolarz for Thursday’s game.

With Stolarz out, the other Leafs’ goalie in the tandem in Woll takes over to finish off the game for him. While Woll’s numbers aren’t nearly as spectacular as Stolarz’s, he still has done excellent with a 7-3-0 record, a .919 save%, 1 shutout and a 3.42 GSAx in 10 games.

Should Stolarz miss any significant time, Dennis Hildeby will likely be the goalie to be recalled from the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Hildeby has a 1-1-0 record, an .869 save% and a -1.81 GSAx in 2 games with the Leafs this season, as well as a 2-2-2 record and an .897% save% in 6 games with the Marlies.